Lord of Prayer - Chapter 223 - 166: Lord Steward

Chapter 223: Chapter 166: Lord Steward

“Tell your people to be careful not to get spotted,” Zhou Chen warned.

Lü Qiang is involved with the Corrupters, so he’s no good. If he discovers he’s being followed, he’ll likely flee, and we’ll lose the lead.

“I’ve already instructed them,” Li Xiangyang said with a nod.

Soon after, Antonio walked in, beaming. This time, he had raked in nearly a hundred million from the betting pool alone. More importantly, he had made a name for the Rebirth Bar. For a long time to come, the bar was set to enjoy a period of booming growth.

“I’ve won the championship. Isn’t it time you gave me that intelligence?” Zhou Chen said.

“Of course. As a Merchant, I always keep my word.”

As he spoke, Antonio pulled a bound file from inside his coat. “This contains the recent locations frequented by the Blood Race, the bars and nightclubs the local Blood Race members used to visit, and a detailed file on Liu Sheng, including his recent movements.”

Zhou Chen wasted no time and began looking through the file.

Two days ago, merchants in the underground black market were the first to notice signs of an increasing Blood Race presence. Specifically, a growing number of mysterious people were buying blood plasma. These customers only appeared at night, never during the day, a lifestyle consistent with the Blood Race. They always purchased massive quantities of blood supplies, nearly emptying the black market dealers’ entire stock in just two days.

Furthermore, a local member of Hong City’s Blood Race had drunkenly complained to friends that many new Blood Race members and elders had suddenly arrived in the city from elsewhere. Internal management had become extremely strict, and it seemed like they were planning something big.

The Star Association had noticed this and dispatched numerous undercover agents to investigate. However, the Blood Race maintained a strict internal hierarchy, operated with meticulous precision, and lurked in the shadows. They could also easily distinguish between their own kind and humans. As a result, the intelligence department had failed to gather many leads, and the few Blood Race members they did manage to capture were all insignificant underlings.

Antonio had also learned of the Blood Race’s whereabouts by chance. Just one day prior, one of his trusted subordinates had traveled to the outskirts of Hong City to conduct a transaction with an outside faction. The specifics of the deal weren’t mentioned in the file, only that while the group was staying overnight in a small town, they had stumbled upon a Dark Barrier erected by the Blood Race.

At the time, the only Extraordinary combatants on the team were a single Ascender and one Alchemy Apprentice. Antagonizing the Blood Race would have been incredibly unwise, so they retreated to their inn, pretending they had seen nothing. They remained on high alert all night, and when they found the Blood Race hadn’t come looking for them, they hastily fled back to the bar.

Before leaving, the subordinate made a point to observe the place that had been enveloped by the Dark Barrier from a distance. It was a very old, two-story house with a yard choked with weeds. All its windows were shattered, and it looked like it hadn’t been maintained in a very long time. Even in broad daylight, it appeared incredibly sinister.

’An old house in a small town on the outskirts of Hong City… The Blood Race used a Dark Barrier to seal it off. Are they using it as a stronghold for secret meetings, or are they looking for something inside that house?’ Zhou Chen analyzed mentally, turning the page with a neutral expression. The next page was printed with Liu Sheng’s personal file.

Liu Sheng was a local Hong City Blood Race member living in the Yuelan District. His day job was as a programmer, but he frequently hung out in nightclubs with a crowd of rich trust-fund kids, using his handsome features to swindle people out of money, sex, and blood. Not long ago, he’d tricked a woman who then put a hit on him on the local dark web. He had been keeping a very low profile recently and had hardly been seen.

’If I find Liu Sheng, I should be able to follow the trail to the rest of the Blood Race. And with Lü Qiang, I’ll have leads on both the Blood Race and the Abyss Church…’

At this thought, a pale flame ignited in Zhou Chen’s hand, incinerating the file. He had already committed its contents to memory.

“Mr. Zhou, our president would like to meet you. I was wondering if you might have the time?” Antonio inquired at a suitable moment.

“I’m busy right now. I’ll contact you when I’m free,” Zhou Chen tactfully declined.

“Very well, I’ll pass that along. Also, this is the catalog for the international auction in two days. Please take a look. No matter which item catches your eye, we will pool our funds to help you win it. This is one of the rewards for winning the championship.” Antonio then produced an ornate booklet.

Zhou Chen took the booklet, raising an eyebrow. “You actually plan on making good on that?”

Items at the international auction were anything but cheap.

“The president has always taught us to see the bigger picture and to value our reputation. This is the prize the champion deserves. If we failed to deliver, and word got out, would any other Alchemists bother to compete here in the future?” Antonio said with a smile, lighting up a cigar.

“This one, then.”

Zhou Chen laid the open booklet on the table and pointed to a page. It featured a color photo of a combat-style, fingerless black leather glove. This glove, however, was not meant for direct combat.

“——Forbidden Object C-011: Emotional Outburst.”

“This one?” Antonio chuckled, puffing on his cigar. “No problem. I guarantee it will be in your hands in two days, Mr. Zhou. And now, for the champion’s final prize… Julie Eva…”

The moment Antonio finished speaking, the door to the private room opened. A woman in a luxurious red evening gown walked in. She had distinctly Western looks, with blonde hair, brown eyes, and delicate, sculpted features. The gown cinched at her waist, outlining her slender figure and emphasizing her ample curves, giving her an air of immense seductive charm.

Upon entering, she broke into a smile, revealing perfectly straight, white teeth. Her bright red lips looked luscious under the light as she strode on long legs to the center of the room.