Chapter 94: First Encounter with the Black-hearted Boss of The Undercity

Chapter 94: Chapter 94: First Encounter with the Black-hearted Boss of The Undercity

Hearing this, Rian Sinclair didn’t look back; she simply gazed out the window in silence.

Venus stood quietly beside her. Although he was an ace butler who had studied psychology and could usually fathom what others were thinking, the woman before him was far too mysterious. She kept all her thoughts perfectly hidden, never revealing them to outsiders. She looked at everyone with the exact same expression, showing no significant emotional fluctuations. Her joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness were entirely unreadable.

In other words, she never wore her emotions on her sleeve. She always maintained a calm and indifferent demeanor, though perhaps she might deign to show a hint of emotion when in a good mood. Even under highly unusual circumstances, her expression remained the same. Venus couldn’t see through her, but he didn’t mind too much. After all, they had only just established their master-servant relationship.

After watching for a while, Rian sat down on the sofa behind her. "Venus, are there any fun places to go in Seraphis at this hour?"

She leaned her small face close to Venus, reaching into his breast pocket to fish out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Taking one out, she tilted her head and lit it. Then, she slipped the items back into his pocket.

Sitting back on the sofa, Rian took a small drag of her cigarette and slowly exhaled the smoke. Venus remained silent. He was momentarily surprised that she smoked, but considering her status, using cigarettes to relax wasn’t out of the question. Rian looked captivating amidst the swirling smoke. After thinking it over, Venus spoke up.

"Master, over in Northgate, there are casinos, nightclubs, and The Undercity. It’s just that the area is a bit chaotic, so you must be careful."

Rian didn’t reply. She simply continued to smoke. After exhaling one last puff, the cigarette was still half-finished. Venus reached out and handed her an ashtray, where Rian crushed the butt and left it.

"Which place is more fun tonight?"

Venus set the ashtray aside and replied slowly, "The Undercity.

"There is an auction there tonight. Many people are coming out of admiration for its reputation, but just as many are turned away at the door. The exorbitant entry fee weeds out ordinary people."

Rian propped her face on her hand and looked at Venus with great interest. She was rather intrigued by The Undercity he mentioned. "You seem to know a lot about this Undercity?"

Venus hesitated for a moment before nodding. "It’s quite chaotic inside. It’s a territory that even the Meridia government can’t control.

"It’s essentially Meridia’s black zone. Almost everyone carries firearms. However, tonight’s auction is hosted by a prominent and powerful local arms dealer, and the only rule is that no one is allowed to bring guns."

Hearing this, Rian found it rather thought-provoking. An arms dealer hosting an auction but forbidding attendees from carrying weapons.

She didn’t ask about Venus’s true identity. As long as he was sufficiently loyal to her, that was enough. She had no interest in finding out who he really was.

Venus secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had prepared himself to be questioned, but he never expected his master to not care in the slightest. She had absolutely no desire to pry. He didn’t say another word, standing obediently to the side and waiting for Rian’s orders.

She wondered if this auction was the same one she was planning to attend.

Rian turned and walked toward the center of the room where Quentin Sinclair was, taking the empty seat beside him.

"Where is the auction we’re going to?"

Quentin’s spot was quite far from the floor-to-ceiling windows, so he hadn’t heard the conversation between the young miss and Venus. He only caught the faint scent of tobacco on her as he replied, "Northgate Underground."

Hearing Quentin’s answer, which perfectly matched the location Venus had mentioned, she figured it had to be the same auction. After all, the timing was too perfect.

Venus stood quietly to the side and naturally overheard Special Assistant Kerr’s words. To receive the news and the invitation so early meant their power or assets in Meridia must be quite substantial. However, it probably wasn’t the intention of that lunatic. It was most likely a formality arranged by his subordinates. After all, that madman wasn’t the type to hand out invitations to just anyone.

Quentin checked his watch. "Miss, it’s about time. We can head out shortly."

***

For this trip, Rian decided to bring Venus along to avoid any unnecessary trouble on the way.

Upon arriving at the destination, Venus familiarly led the way inside. After weaving left and right, they reached a dusty gray door. Venus fiddled with a protrusion on the wall beside it. Then, he stepped aside and gave Rian a cheering gesture. "Master, your turn."

Looking slightly confused, Rian stepped forward and stared at the QR payment code in front of her. She fell silent for a moment. She could bet her life that the creator of this Undercity was somehow connected to President Marshall. This had to be the entry fee for The Undercity.

Rian scanned the code once, but the door didn’t budge. Aside from herself, she had brought Quentin, Venus, and Aiden Sinclair along for the trip. She scanned it three more times, and only then did the dusty gray door slowly open to reveal a small entrance. Looking inside from the outside, the interior was as pitch-black as a blurred mosaic.

Smiling, Venus gestured for Rian to enter. Aiden quickly stepped up to go in first, swiftly checking their surroundings. Then, Aiden looked back at Rian and gave a reassuring nod.

Only then did Rian step into the pitch-black space. Once all four of them were inside, the floor beneath them began to descend slowly, coming to a halt after about ten seconds.

The door opened, and after stepping out of the elevator and walking a few paces, they were greeted by a four-meter-tall gate. Two armed men stood guard at the entrance. As the four approached, the guards blocked their path.

One of them, a burly man with a black beard, grunted, "Follow me."

They followed the man and stopped in a small, square room. Others were arriving behind them as well, but the second armed guard wasn’t as well-tempered as the first, cursing loudly as he led his group.

Rian didn’t understand the difference in treatment. Venus leaned in and whispered, "Those people exploited a loophole. One person scanned the code while the rest hid. When the door opened, they all rushed in together. However, to access any other areas inside, they have to verify whether the entry fee was paid. Anyone who hasn’t paid gets kicked out immediately.

"I don’t know if it’s intentional on the mastermind’s part, but the loophole at the front gate has never been fixed. Some people think they can fish in troubled waters later on, so a lot of them still try to sneak in this way."

Hearing this, Rian chuckled softly. "The person behind this is quite wicked. They provide enough of a gimmick to bait the hook, then carefully pick and choose the fish that come to bite, using a tiny bit of profit to reel in the big bucks."

The mastermind preyed on the gamblers’ mentality of the masses. If people felt they could sneak in once, they’d naturally believe they could do it again. After all, who wouldn’t love easy money falling right into their lap? Forget the boss behind the scenes—even Rian loved the sound of that. Besides, how could anyone spit out money that had already been delivered straight into their pockets?

If anyone had a problem with it, they could take it up with the guns in the guards’ hands.

Venus nodded. Initially, he had assumed the owner was someone honorable, so he had never bothered to ponder the ultimate reason why the loophole remained unfixed. But after hearing his master’s explanation, Venus thought about it carefully and realized she was absolutely right.

To think the person behind the scenes was so shameless.