Chapter 148
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: The Broker's Secrets
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Thunder spears brimming with an overwhelming presence had materialized from every direction, swiveling to lock onto him like automated turrets raising their heads.
"Ma... magician!"
A mere flick of the head was enough—no words needed—and the terrified man stumbled back unsteadily.
Only then did the golden thunder spears vanish, drawing a deep sigh of relief from him.
Of course, a few hadn't snapped out of it yet, still stealthily suppressing their presence.
But none dared step forward openly.
It was the kind of reaction you'd expect from those who'd been burned once before.
After a moment of silence, the clerk clicked his tongue sharply.
"How the hell did you know?"
"Just a hunch."
His face twisted in bewilderment at the crazy woman's casual reply—but only for an instant.
In the end, it was clear: they'd barged in without a shred of evidence and strong-armed him into spilling.
"Damn, unbelievable..."
Grumbling irritably, he fiddled with something under the table.
"Follow me. Hey! Someone cover the counter."
"Aw, crap. We're closing up."
He then led us through a narrow hidden passage behind the warehouse.
"Boss, some info-seekers here."
A brief silence followed the clerk's words.
Then a weary voice echoed out.
"No business today."
"No business, and I'm dead meat."
"Can't you hear me? Scram."
Luna stomped toward the irritated voice beyond the door and yanked the handle of the firmly shut iron barrier.
Clank!!!
But the solidly locked door refused to budge.
"Hear that? No business today, so come back later..."
Crunch!!!
"Damn lunatic! Is that even human?"
Luna casually ripped the steel door apart, and the clerk's face drained of color in under a second.
"Argh, you crazy bitch!! What the hell are you?!"
The man inside recoiled in horror as the door shattered.
"Goddamn it! What a rotten streak today!"
"No business?"
"No! You filthy..."
Crunch!!
"No?"
Luna crushed a nearby ornament barehanded, and the man rubbed his palms like a greed-soaked merchant.
"Welcome, esteemed customer. We deal in all information—save what doesn't exist."
Luna shot me a triumphant nod.
Watching her innocently ferocious expression, I couldn't shake the urge to grab her right then and hammer some common sense into her skull.
"So, what information are you after? Regardless, you'll pay for that door."
"Looking for a person."
"What, you think we're a daycare... Ah, never mind."
The info broker radiated displeasure, but when Luna toyed with the mangled ornament like putty, he dropped his gaze.
"Sigh... damn it... Tougher than those bitches from this morning..."
Info brokers learn quick: spot the dangerous mad dogs you don't poke.
In his eyes, Luna was premium-grade—untouchable.
"Phew... So, who exactly are you looking for?"
I flopped into the chair opposite him.
"Eleven years old. Gray-haired girl. Sky-blue eyes—same shade as mine, but softer features."
"Family?"
"Gotta ask?"
"Doesn't matter. Anything else?"
"Half a year back, shipwrecked at sea in the Kraken incident."
"Then she's shark food by now."
Slash!!!
No sooner had the words left his mouth than strands of his hair fluttered free, a faint cut blooming on his cheek.
"Guh?!"
"Watch your mouth."
"I... I'll watch it."
Sensing the unnatural menace rolling off me, he shivered violently.
"I've heard about that sea disaster. Currents swept wreckage—and survivors—right to Remilish Island's shores."
"High chance she's alive. Plus, this paper—likely from her—delivered by an Angler Bird."
I spilled the details: the drawing clearly by Arsha Cascadia that the bird had carried. He pondered, then nodded.
"Huh. Both groups today hunting the same person..."
His follow-up was impossible to brush off.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Oops. Slip of the tongue."
Bullshit. He wanted his uninvited guests to clash, one way or another.
And damn if he wasn't spot-on.
In this situation, who else was sniffing out Arsha's whereabouts here?
How the hell did they know?
"Spill who they were too."
"Pay up, and info's yours."
Before I could draw gold from my sub-space,
Luna chucked a massive pink diamond from hers at him.
Pink diamond... Pricier than expected. That size? Immense value.
"Huh?!"
"That enough?"
"Y-Yes! Lady! Every scrap of info I have!"
His attitude flipped at lightspeed.
Skilled broker after all.
He laid it out clean: incident details, Arsha's likely drift path.
"Plenty rescued from the sea back then. Most survivors gone or dead now... but some could still be kicking here."
Trapped as slaves.
Central continent origins. Young girl. Prime, low-risk prey for slavers.
Predictable hell fueled the rage. Whoever'd enslaved her? No mercy.
"Truth be told, if your young lady's off the island, we're out of luck... But your story points to her still being here."
He zeroed in on the Angler Bird.
"Feather hue suggests it returned here to breed. And it carried paper on purpose—random mid-flight pickup? Unlikely."
"Got leads?"
"These cases? Shake down the know-it-alls. No other way."
He unrolled a map.
"Slave traders operating in Remilish. Want the straight talk?"
I nodded quietly.
"Fed fakes to those earlier two. Was pissed. But you paid top coin—real deal for you."
His finger stabbed a spot.
"Baron Slave Trader's outfit. No guarantees, but he's got history snatching wreck survivors for slaves on the sly."
Baron...
"Can't swear he's linked to your girl, but his ledgers will say. If not him, maybe these two."
I burned the meticulous intel into memory.
"They won't spill for asking nice. Pay fair... or crush 'em. Advice? Skip the force. Solid backing, slimy as hell—cross him wrong, who knows the payback."
Slavers split: dealable trash, untouchable scum. Baron was the latter.
"Come back anytime for more"—polite send-off and all—we exited the broker's den.
Surveillance? Vanished. Word must've spread.
Money talks.
Makes sense. Shove cash at profit hounds; why bite the hand?
Trailing the broker's map, voices drifted to my ear.
"Senior... Think we got lost..."
"Nah, hold on. Should be here... Spotting Arsha Cascadia in this crowd? Tough."
Familiar voices.
Masks hid faces, but no mistaking them.
Luna—hood up, scanning stalls while tailing—froze too.
"Path's gotta be this way..."
The two map-glued idiots spotted us, flinched... then kept walking.
"Freeze."
"......"
My voice halted their steps on reflex.
Didn't wanna get caught? Don't freeze.
Not that strolling past would've helped.
"Wh... why?"
"Merrill Dyna, my eyes aren't so dull a mask fools me."
She flinched, shoulders slumping in defeat.
Continent-tier secret society? Leader aside, met members were just... hollow shells like Merrill.
"L-Leon, young master. Long time."
"Well, well. Rebecca on your side too?"
"Eek?! How?!"
The girl peeking nervously beside Merrill jumped.
"How'd you know? We wore perception jammers... Anyway, let's relocate first."
Merrill scanned around, grabbed my arm to drag me.
Or tried.
"Hands. Off."
"Uh..."
Luna intercepted.
Her jealousy'd thickened since the truth-drop.
Enemy radar incarnate: stall-distracted one second, head-snap the next. Effective.
Spooked by Luna's killing intent, Merrill recoiled, releasing me.
I swept the surroundings, then ignited my mana circle.
TELEPORT
Thanks to the Hall of Truth—forged from my latest recovered memory—I could finally wield spatial magic.