<<During the banquet>>

[Warning: This chapter contains scenes of violence that may be disturbing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.]

Amos left. Before leaving, he handed the task over to the Black Poker’s boss, Joel. Joel sighed deeply and picked up the phone to instruct his subordinates to compensate the families of the three who went missing.

At the same time, he avoided Karens’s subordinates and sent another faction of the Black Poker to search for them.

Karens and Ranen were too deeply entangled, and Joel wasn’t sure if this subordinate had already been deceived by that unknown entity. Since the attack on Ranen’s apartment under Amos’ coercion, Joel knew that there was no turning back for him and the Black Poker.

Now, the only path was to walk deeper into the darkness in hopes of finding a glimmer of hope in the ultimate abyss.

—-

On the other side.

The three players encountered Edmund outside Ranen’s Psychotherapy Room. The four of them went to a café together, and after a brief introduction, they exchanged information.

It was only then that Edmund learned what the strange entity pursuing him actually was and was secretly alarmed by Ranen’s intelligence database.

The Soul-Eating Butterfly, this anomaly, was also recorded by the Inspection Bureau and was known to be one of the high-risk anomalies. As soon as one was encountered, retreat was allowed regardless of the progress of the mission. However, no one knew that this anomaly could also be used in medicine.

He had never seen any similar information about the Dreamwalking Potion in the Inspection Bureau either.

Indeed…

He lowered his head to hide the expression in his eyes.

The only one who can save him is Ranen, and the opportunity has already presented itself.

Edmund then joined the three players in their actions, and in exchange, he revealed the anomaly that had been pursuing him and the location where it occurred.

After describing the strange occurrences he had experienced, Edmund felt a surge of anxiety, fearing a cold reception. He had faced too many cold stares these past few days, and if the hope he had managed to muster was also shattered, he might truly collapse.

“The villa… It seems we had players who went there before. They did find a murder case, but according to the forum records, there didn’t seem to be any strange occurrences,” Shushu Hao said while scrolling through the forum.

To Edmund, ‘players’ became ‘other companions,’ and the forum became a chatroom. His lips trembled as he said, “I really… saw…”

“Indeed! It must be an important task that requires high intuition to trigger!” Shushu Hao confidently concluded, his gaze burning with intensity as he looked at Edmund. “Brother, your intuition is so high. I’m really envious!”

Edmund opened his mouth, “… Don’t you doubt me?”

“Doubt? Doubt what??” The others looked puzzled.

That? Only one person in the team saw the ghost while the others didn’t? Hmph, it must be that the others’ intuition isn’t high enough, or maybe they’re just clueless.

Anyway, there’s no way to misinterpret it.

However, Ye Ye Hao subtly picked up on the expectation and anxiety hidden beneath Edmund’s usual expression. He thought for a moment and said, “Of course not. After all, you came from Lord Ranen’s place. He must have given you some hints.”

Like task hints, task hints, and more task hints…

Edmund thought that might count as hints and nodded.

“Brother!”

The three quickly grabbed him, and Edmund looked at their sudden enthusiasm in confusion.

“Don’t worry about anything,” Ye Ye Hao said earnestly. “From today on, your problems are our problems. Let’s investigate the truth together and find a way to drive away the evil spirit tormenting you.”

“Uh, okay, okay.”

Edmund was a bit dazed. He looked carefully at the three in front of him, connecting their earlier attempt to find Ranen and their change in attitude, and he had a rough idea in his mind.

They should be Ranen’s followers.

He recalled the training at headquarters, where the cultists of the evil gods were portrayed as a group of ruthless and cold-blooded desperados, willing to do anything for their dark deity.

But now, it seems that this isn’t entirely the case?

Edmund thought hesitantly.

Soon, the three drove to the location where Edmund had been haunted, intending to search for clues. On the way, Shushu Hao shared the task details he had found on the forum.

“The player who took this task before was called Black Cat. I contacted him, and he sent me the details. First, there was indeed a murder case at the villa. The victim was the villa’s owner. Since he was a reclusive millionaire and no one inherited the villa after his death, as you can see, the villa has now become a well-known haunted house in the area.”

Standing in front of the desolate and dilapidated villa, Shushu Hao shrugged and said.

“The victim was the villa owner? Hmm… murdered, you say?” Ye Ye Hao recalled the characteristics of the Soul-Eating Butterfly that Ranen had explained and murmured, “Could it be that the butterfly specimen attracted people who wanted to steal it?”

“That’s quite likely,” Baba Hao said, holding his phone and mysteriously added, “I just asked a friend who is good with computers to investigate online. Guess what they found?”

“What? Don’t keep us in suspense.”

“Actually, this butterfly specimen has been circulating online for some time now. It’s said that anyone who handles this specimen will inevitably meet with misfortune shortly afterward, so it has been dubbed the ‘Cursed Specimen,'” Baba Hao said.

“And the strangest part is that whenever the owner of the specimen dies, the specimen mysteriously disappears and reappears on the market.”

“This specimen moves on its own?” Ye Ye Hao asked in surprise.

“No, think about it carefully. Didn’t we also encounter something like this last time?”

The other two players suddenly realized: “Someone is stealing the butterfly specimen, using humans to sustain it, and then coming to retrieve the specimen when the host is about to die, to prevent the butterfly from being destroyed.”

“That’s quite likely,” Ye Ye Hao murmured. They once again searched the villa, finally standing in the master bedroom on the second floor, examining the scene of the crime.

Of course, since a considerable amount of time had passed, the bloodstains here had long since dried, leaving little to no evidence or traces.

“According to Black Cat’s initial investigation,” Shushu Hao said, “there were obvious signs of a struggle and a lot of blood at the scene of the death. The window on the second floor had been pried open. Witnesses outside the villa reported seeing a suspicious figure loitering around the villa a month before the incident. It appears to be a premeditated burglary and murder case, but the motive remains unclear.”

“Now, considering this, is it possible that someone was bewitched by the butterfly specimen? They might have planned to take the specimen when the villa owner was near death. However, since this is their first attempt and they are inexperienced, along with an inaccurate estimate of the owner’s time of death, encountering resistance seems understandable.”

The other two agreed that this theory was plausible, but so far it was only speculation.

Validating this theory was straightforward. The three of them exchanged glances and quickly submitted their hypothesis to the prize pool task.

[Task clue submission successful. Current progress: 90%]

The three were overjoyed. The prize pool task had accumulated a total of thirty thousand Western dollars. With their combined contribution, they had claimed 80% of it. Dividing it equally, each person would receive nearly eight thousand Western dollars. They had just become quite wealthy!

As they were theorizing, Edmund suddenly hunched over and clutched his arms, feeling an unsettling sensation.

The feeling had returned, as if a voice in his head was incessantly urging him to find the butterfly, find the butterfly.

“Shut up! Just shut up!”

Breathing heavily, Edmund looked up to see the three players staring at him with concern.

“Bro, are you okay? You suddenly screamed and scared us to death.”

“I-I’m fine,” Edmund said, trying to calm his emotions. “You’re right, but what should we do next…”

“Shh—wait a moment!”

Ye Ye Hao’s expression grew serious. He pointed to his ears, and everyone, except for the bewildered Edmund, began to listen intently.

[Listening: Failure]

[Listening: Success]

Baba Hao and Ye Ye Hao exchanged a glance and looked in a specific direction. At the end of the villa corridor, it remained empty, but they noticed a shadow flickering in the candlelight.

Edmund’s expression also grew serious. The voice in his head had suddenly disappeared, as if everything was signaling something. Ye Ye Hao gave a subtle signal, and Shushu Hao understood, quietly moving in another direction.

“Ah, what do you think, Ye Ye?”

“What’s up, Baba… cough, cough, Hao?”

“Will the culprit return to the scene?”

“Some psychopaths do,” Ye Ye Hao said, drawing his knife discreetly as he spoke. He was on high alert, ready for action. “They come back to the scene either to deal with any uncovered evidence or to cover up their own traces.”

“Well, this…” Baba Hao said slowly, moving closer to the area and immediately requesting an investigation from the system. “Should be the culprit!”

[Investigation: Success]

[You detected dangerous signs. The enemy’s ambush failed. A bonus dice is granted for evasion.]

Baba Hao realized the threat was directed at him and quickly chose to evade. Thanks to the system’s bonus dice, the evasion was a complete success. He perfectly dodged the enemy’s attack, and even had enough space to knock Edmund, who was stunned, to the ground.

The enemy, missing their attack, immediately fled down the stairs but stumbled into a trap set by Shushu Hao, who had surrounded him from the other side. The black face mask fell to the ground, revealing a remarkably old face, though his body was as robust as a middle-aged man’s.

The man, with a grim expression, stood up. By then, the two players and Edmund had arrived. Seeing the situation, the man quickly drew a knife from his coat and captured Shushu Hao.

Shushu Hao, who had failed in the brawl: …

“Shushu Hao, are you even capable? You’re embarrassing the players,” Ye Ye Hao said without hesitation.

“Shut up, I’m just really unlucky!” Shushu Hao yelled. At the same time, the middle-aged man roared, “Step back! All of you step back, or I’ll kill this kid!”

Ye Ye Hao and Baba Hao exchanged glances and took a step forward.

[Laughing my ass off, I’m going to die of laughter in this livestream sooner or later!]

[Is this the friendship of the common folks? Love it.]

“You think I’m scared? Try taking another step forward!”

Ye Ye Hao and Baba Hao stepped forward another two paces.

Shushu Hao: …

Edmund: …

The middle-aged man was thrown off by their actions, and his carefully built-up anger was interrupted. With a fierce look in his eyes, he was about to act when suddenly a bullet hole appeared in his arm.

Then came two more gunshots.

The middle-aged man collapsed in confusion, with bullet wounds in his forehead and throat. Shushu Hao stood there in bewilderment as several men in black suits appeared, swiftly walking over to the middle-aged man’s body to search it.

This series of events left everyone stunned.

[What’s going on? Are they enemies or allies?]

[Why does this style look so familiar?]

Soon, the viewers and players no longer needed to be puzzled.

As the black-clad men retrieved a butterfly specimen wrapped in black cloth from the middle-aged man’s possession, they quickly left with it.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Ye Ye Hao rushed to stop them, only to find the guns of the black-clad men pointed at him. Not wanting to provoke them, the players immediately… raised their hands and took a few steps back.

“Boss, you do as you please.”

The black-clad men glanced at him expressionlessly, returned to their own group, and one of them pressed a button on his earpiece:

“Boss, we encountered a few people investigating this matter. How should we handle them?”

“Bring the specimen with you and don’t worry about them. Someone will take care of them.”

The voice on the earpiece replied.

“Understood.” The black-clad man responded, maintaining his stance with the gun pointed at Ye Ye Hao and the others as he gradually walked away.

As the figures of the black-clad men began to disappear from sight, Edmund, feeling anxious, tried to follow, and Ye Ye Hao and Baba Hao also moved to follow the retreating figures.

But just then, Baba Hao suddenly heard the cold, mechanical prompt of the system in his ear.

[Evade: Success]

In the next moment, a chilling, blood-strewn gust of wind rushed by. As Baba Hao dodged, he clearly saw a figure with no hair, resembling someone wearing a leather bodysuit, brush past him. The figure was humanoid but far from resembling any human.

Its exposed skin had a rubbery texture, hair was sparse, ears were pointed, and its body was covered in cracks. Its eyes were pure black, and its mouth was filled with sharp fangs.

The ground where it had struck immediately cracked, indicating the devastating effect it would have had if it had hit a human.

The three players and Edmund gasped in shock.

If Ranen were here, he might recognize this creature. It was similar to the anomaly seen in the neighboring ward during that night at the hospital and was also a relatively common monster in the game.

A D-level anomaly: Ghoul.

“My A-grade butterfly.” Ye Ye Hao sadly watched as the black-clad figures disappeared from view.

Edmund, in despair, said, “I don’t think this is the time to discuss that.”

The ghoul is right in front of them!

Edmund had clearly recognized the anomaly; it was listed in the public records of the Inspection Bureau. Although ghouls were a relatively common type of anomaly, that didn’t mean they were easy to handle. On the contrary, they had incredibly tough skin, nearly impervious to knives and bullets. Their speed was comparable to a cheetah in full sprint, and their strength was two to three times that of an average man.

According to the Inspection Bureau’s reports, a fully equipped squad could barely manage to retreat from such anomalies.

And now…

Edmund drew the Inspection Bureau-issued handgun he always carried, glancing at Ye Ye Hao and Baba Hao’s daggers and knuckle dusters, feeling a deep sense of hopelessness.

The players, on the other hand, expressed their own frustration.

This game is too realistic; they can’t get their hands on any real weapons! Where would ordinary people even find guns?

The moment Edmund drew his weapon, the ghoul immediately locked onto him as the greatest threat. Edmund saw darkness before his eyes and hastily fired three shots in quick succession.

Two shots missed, and the final bullet struck the ghoul’s shoulder, sparking as it hit.

Edmund’s heart was instantly shrouded in gloom.

What kind of monster is this!

—-

Seeing that it was about time, Ranen left the Psychotherapy Room and headed to the location indicated on the invitation.

Since it is a formal event, he should probably change into a suit, right?

However, Ranen’s money was all in the bank, waiting for a decisive escape from the city before disaster struck. He didn’t want to waste money on a one-time event. Considering his persona among the mob, he decided to attend the event in his white lab coat.

Fortunately, Black Poker had thought ahead and sent a car to pick him up, and it was even driven by Karens himself. This left Ranen with no excuse to refuse.

Karens was dressed in a well-fitted black suit for the event, perfectly highlighting his broad shoulders and narrow waist. When he stepped out of the sleek black Phantom car, he attracted quite a few gazes on the street.

He was already good-looking, maintained a great physique, and combined with the dangerous and captivating aura he had developed from years in the blood-soaked world, he was irresistibly attractive. Even knowing that being with him could lead to ruin, people were continuously drawn to him.

Especially when such a man took the driver’s seat, and with the utmost respect stepped out of the car like a diligent chauffeur, the women on the street couldn’t help but wonder who was fortunate enough to have this charming gentleman as their driver.

Then they saw Ranen.

Oh, never mind. That gentleman must be a lucky guy.

“Would you like me to prepare a suit for you?”

After Ranen took his seat in the back of the car, Karens asked.

Ranen looked at his white lab coat, which was clean enough, and immediately became lazy: “No, I don’t need that.”

Mainly because he had no money and was too lazy.

Karens seemed to misunderstand something, glancing up through the rearview mirror: “I see.”

An existence like him doesn’t bother much with the appearance of a mere human vessel. Moreover, even without any special adornments, he is already dazzling enough. In terms of appearance alone, he surpasses everyone he has previously seen who could be labeled as ‘beautiful.’

Even he, who is usually composed, can’t help but be momentarily captivated by such a beauty that seems to transcend human limits. However, his rational mind, aware of Ranen’s identity and the fear of the mysterious, suppressed the awe inspired by his appearance.

As the car began to move, both men sat in silence. Ranen looked at the passing scenery outside the window, thinking that the location of the banquet was quite remote—it was already outside the city limits.

Sensing Ranen’s confusion, Karens finally found a topic to discuss: “This banquet is inviting the big shots of the Arkham underground. Nobody would want to host it on their own turf, so they decided to place it somewhere farther away.”

That makes some sense. Ranen continued to watch the scenery outside the window, his tone playful: “I suppose it wouldn’t be for the convenience of committing murder and hiding the bodies, would it?”

Karens gave a dry laugh: “Haha, you’re quite the comedian.”

At this moment, he didn’t take Ranen’s comment seriously.

—-

“Isn’t that Dalton? Did you also receive an invitation?”

“Of course. Since you all are here, how could I miss it?”

Inside the banquet, where toasts and clinking glasses were frequent, the big shots of Arkham’s underground, who were notorious for stirring up bloody storms, were now dressed in fine suits and drinking champagne like genuine high society figures. They spontaneously formed circles to exchange intelligence.

Yet, the calluses on their hands and the expressions of ferocity, cruelty, or indifference on their faces revealed that they were far from the pampered elite of the secular world.

A wolf pack, no matter how it disguises itself, cannot hide its bloodthirsty nature.

“What exactly is Joel inviting us for?”

Joel was the name of the Black Poker’s leader.

“Not sure, but it’s been a long time since we’ve had a gathering like this.”

As they continued their discussion, they suddenly noticed the surrounding atmosphere had gone quiet.

All the guests in attendance seemed to have been hit with a pause button, staring blankly and craning their necks in one direction. This unusual silence quickly caught the attention of those who were talking, and they naturally looked in that direction as well.

Soon, they too were left in stunned silence.

Standing at the door was Karens from the Black Poker. Although many of the big shots present had heard of this capable young man, Karens’s presence barely drew their attention. Instead, all eyes were drawn to the person beside him.

What kind of eyes are those?

Even the most precious emeralds could not compare to the beauty of those eyes, let alone the person himself.

In this extremely formal setting, he was simply dressed in a casual white lab coat. He appeared very young, perhaps having just graduated from school. Yet, he displayed no shyness typical of a green university student. He walked in with calm confidence, and as he glanced around, the big shots who met his gaze were at a loss, suddenly seeming like inexperienced youths.

Just by being there, he effortlessly became the center of attention.

“Wow… Dalton,” the few people who had been talking earlier came to their senses, their eyes filled with astonishment. “Who is he?”

But when he looked at his companions, he keenly noticed a strikingly similar greed flashing in their eyes.

“Who knows? Maybe Karens will give us an answer.”

His companion, holding a glass of wine, headed towards Karens.

However, it was clear that he was not the only one thinking this way. As soon as he took a few steps, he realized that the other big shots, who had previously been in their own small circles, were now converging towards Karens. Only a small group remained as bystanders, observing coldly.

And this small group of people, if observed closely, turned out to be the highest-ranking individuals among those present.

Some keen observers sensed something from the attitudes of this group, causing them to hesitate in their approach. However, many others, already dazzled by Ranen’s beauty, eagerly moved forward with their glasses to get closer to Karens.

“Hey, Karens, what’s the purpose of Black Poker’s big gathering, calling us all here?” 

A gang leader greeted Karens verbally, but his eyes were fixed on Ranen, the intense longing in his gaze almost spilling over. “Are you going to introduce us to this…”

Before he could say anything inappropriate, Karens swiftly doused him with wine, effectively cutting off any words that might anger Ranen.

Cold sweat immediately soaked Karens’s back; he swore he had never sweated so much even amidst gunfire and battle.

“Watch your words. And you, everyone, this gentleman is our Black Poker’s ‘honored guest’,” Karens emphasized the term ‘honored guest’ with a cold stare at the lecherous man.

His respectful attitude finally snapped the surrounding big shots, clouded by lust, back to their senses. The crowd collectively retracted their greedy gazes, at least not daring to openly stare at Ranen.

And they didn’t notice that a few gang members stationed around the champagne tower, serving as attendants, had their mouths agape upon seeing Ranen.

It’s Ranen! What’s he doing here!

These players almost instantly realized what was happening and excitedly opened the forum to post.

[Brothers, the luck of the Emperor has finally favored me! Ranen has appeared—could this be a sign of a new instance?]

The presence of players here wasn’t too surprising.

When players first entered the game, the officials didn’t try to hide anything. A large influx of people into Arkham City would certainly attract the attention of local forces.

Subsequently, players were drawn into the underground forces, and joining gangs wasn’t unusual. After all, every player has a different style of play.

Now, with the underground world hosting a rare grand banquet, these gang members had also transformed into attendants and security for the event.

—-

Player Forum

“Brothers, the Emperor’s luck has finally favored me! Ranen has appeared—could this be a sign of a new instance?”

Lz (exp. Thread starter): Finally, is it my turn to get lucky? Hahaha. I’m at an underground banquet, and it seems like many big shots are here, and Ranen has arrived too!

1st Commenter: Bro, start a live stream! Even a text-based live stream is fine!

Lz: Hold on!

The player with the game ID “A-Long” was well aware of the surge in popularity when Ye Ye Hao started streaming, and with the rising popularity of Wheel of Fate, many game streamers have been drawn in. A-Long, who has some aspirations in this field, didn’t hesitate to start an in-game live stream.

As soon as the stream went live, countless players flooded in.

The last time Ranen went out, he triggered a bonus pool quest involving all players. Now that he has appeared again, what new event will he start? Many players were eager to find out.

With the previous hype still lingering and Ranen’s own influence, A-Long’s live stream quickly attracted a large audience.

It was fortunate that he was the first to start the live stream; the attention hadn’t been divided yet.

[First! I’m here! Wherever my wife, Ranen, is, that’s where I’ll be!]

[Damn, you guys are too fast—do you live on the forum or something??]

[Let me see where this is. Wow, a villa and a banquet, and they didn’t invite me!]

[Are all these people major gangsters? They look pretty high-class.]

[Streamer, point the camera at Ranen! Who cares about you!]

Don’t Call Me A-Long rolled his eyes but obediently turned the camera towards Ranen. Ranen was still dressed in his white lab coat from the Psychotherapy Room, yet he remained the center of attention.

—-

From Karens’s attitude, other factions had already discerned the significance of this young man. They also adjusted their own attitudes, though they were reluctant to leave. They gathered around him, trying to get in good with him, forming the largest circle at the banquet around Ranen and Karens, as if Ranen were the real star of the event.

—-

[Hiss, I see so many people toasting to Ranen—it’s starting to feel like a mob boss.]

[What’s Ranen doing here? He seems to have such a high status among these gang leaders.]

[Wasn’t it revealed before that Karens’s position in the Black Poker is very high, and Karens is a follower of Ranen? So does that mean the Black Poker is Ranen’s faction?]

Various speculations flashed through the live stream chat. A-Long was also curious about what was happening over there and, holding a champagne glass, tried to get closer by offering drinks.

—-

At this moment, noise erupted from another direction at the banquet.

The crowd parted, revealing a man in his late forties or early fifties. His temples were already graying, but he appeared in good spirits and smiled warmly, “This place is quite lively.”

The man was Joel, the organizer of the banquet and the leader of the Black Poker.

“Joel, what exactly did you call us here for?”

“Don’t be hasty,” Joel replied cheerfully. He then approached Ranen with great respect, greeting him warmly and inquiring after his well-being.

This attitude made the surrounding people’s eyelids twitch.

It was known that the Black Poker was now in the top position of Arkham’s underground forces. Although their position was unstable, they could be considered the underground kings of Arkham. Who could make Joel behave with such humility?

Originally, people speculated that Ranen might be a significant figure from outside or a relative of the Black Poker leader, but it now seemed his identity was far more complex.

Had the leaders of the large organizations who were watching coldly received some advance notice?

“Everyone, let me introduce you. This is Dr. Ranen, a highly skilled psychologist.”

Is that it?

The crowd looked slightly bewildered. Is this introduction too brief?

However, Joel seemed to ignore their reactions. “By the way, recently, there’s been a group of inexperienced newcomers causing a stir in Arkham City. I hear they’ve been causing quite a bit of trouble.”

After a moment of recollection, someone responded with some annoyance, “Yes, it’s true. These clueless outsiders have been quite bothersome. They act like wild beasts in nature, just causing chaos!”

The people present chuckled in understanding or sighed in frustration.

“Honestly, I really want to give them a good beating and teach them the rules of Arkham.”

Joel chuckled as well. “They are indeed a lively bunch, but I hope everyone can give these lovely newcomers a break, as they are ‘friends’ of Dr. Ranen.”

His vague wording didn’t prevent the people present from catching the underlying protective tone, and they turned to Ranen with surprised expressions.

So, these eccentric newcomers are part of his faction?

So, does this mean that all the recent absurdities caused by these ‘Huskies’ in Arkham are actually at his behest?

The other people’s expressions suddenly turned strange.

Ranen awkwardly shifted his toes.

Although he didn’t know what they were thinking, he hoped they wouldn’t jump to conclusions.

Clearly, Ranen was aware of the kinds of bizarre things players could do in the game, and he really didn’t want to take the fall for them.

But, evidently, Ranen didn’t dare to clarify himself among these true big shots. All he could do was stay silent, smile, and say nothing.

This attitude was undoubtedly taken as confirmation, and the underground bosses present began to ponder more actively.

Meanwhile, behind Ranen, A-Long, who was holding a champagne glass and had been approaching, turned red-faced, as if he had heard something significant.

—-

The comments in the live stream started to flood in.

[Damn, is this game really that realistic? There are even local NPCs dissatisfied with the players’ strange behavior.]

[I remember once undressing in front of an NPC, emmm suddenly deep in thought.]

[Ah, I also bathed in a fountain at a park before. Not gonna lie, it was pretty fun.]

[What have you all done in the game? (doge)]

[Be serious, isn’t anyone concerned about how high up Ranen seems? He’s even defending the players.]

[He cares about me, he’s thinking about me (content)]

—-

Unnoticed by anyone, the leader of the Black Poker quietly left the banquet. He went to the back and asked in a low voice, “Has he arrived?”

The person guarding the back door nodded, and a group of men in black appeared at the back door, respectfully presenting the butterfly specimen they had brought from their pockets.

Coincidentally, the villa was not very far from the location of the Black Poker’s banquet. It didn’t take long to walk straight through the forest. Joel had been worried he wouldn’t find the butterfly specimen before the banquet, but fortunately, he managed to get it in time. It was as if it was fate’s arrangement.

After a few days, the butterfly specimen seemed to have undergone new changes. The colors on the butterfly’s wings had become more vivid, with vibrant red streaks resembling the pulsating veins inside a human body, as if it was about to take flight.

Joel couldn’t help but step back, his eyes flashing with fear. He waved his hand with an expression of frustration and said, “Take it to the banquet right away. I need to leave!”

With that, he hurriedly made his way to the back door, where a car had been waiting for some time.

He had no intention of getting involved in the conflicts of the mysterious world. Having done what the mysterious person instructed—bringing Ranen to the banquet—he left the rest to these monsters to contend with.

As for the others remaining at the banquet, it was unfortunate, but they had already been chosen as the sacrifices for tonight’s event.

Joel got into the car and lit a cigar as it started, savoring the satisfaction and sense of security that came with surviving an adventure.

However, as his greed resurfaced, he knew that after tonight, the leaders of the underground gangs would vanish, and the underground world of Arkham would be thrown into chaos. His Black Poker would solidify its position amid the turmoil. This was the reward he deserved. He had offended Ranen, whose background he didn’t know, for Amos. Ranen had to die at this banquet for him to feel at ease.

With that thought in mind, he dialed a tip-off number.

As the leader of the Black Poker, he wasn’t completely ignorant of that world. At the very least, he had heard of the Inspection Bureau, an organization specializing in investigating strange events.

The so-called mysterious person and the suspected evil god Ranen…

Let them tear each other apart, and then let the Inspection Bureau catch them all.

After making the call, Joel noticeably relaxed. It was only then that he realized the car had been stationary since it was about to leave the estate’s exit.

“Hello, what’s going on? You—”

His words were cut off.

The driver was dragged out through the window without having a chance to scream. A leather-skinned monster reached its head through the window beside the driver’s seat and looked at him.