CHAPTER 203: EXTRA: AFTERMATH_2

"Are you referring to those people on Rat Street?" The police chief couldn’t help but size up the seasoned officer. "You’re involved with them, yet you’re not afraid of the Church..."

"Rules are rigid; people are flexible," the seasoned officer replied. "Besides, who doesn’t know that place is backed by... certain higher-ups?"

The police chief quickly raised his hand, cutting him off. "Don’t say any more!" He fell silent, pondering. At this moment, he was desperate enough to clutch at straws, but he still warned, "Don’t forget, we’re in the same boat."

"Rest assured, Sir. I have some connections with that person." The seasoned officer, clearly understanding what was at stake, immediately gave his assurance.

Although he was a district police chief, he had never actually dealt with such matters—firstly, because he didn’t believe in them, and secondly, because he didn’t dare. So, when he passed through that wall, his expression was one of indescribable surprise.

The other side of Totnes was revealing itself to him.

"One of my friends has lived here for over a decade. He once told me about a Romani fortune-teller, but unfortunately, she disappeared recently. However, there are still many capable individuals on this street; surely one of them can help you, Sir," the seasoned officer said.

The seasoned officer led the police chief into an antique shop. The chief surveyed the surrounding items. He didn’t recognize most of them, but his practiced eye told him these antiques were genuine and incredibly valuable, possibly worth millions.

For an outsider to establish such a large shop here, they must possess some capabilities, he thought. For a moment, a glimmer of hope sparked within him, his initial aversion slowly giving way to acceptance.

He rang the Bell on the table. Its crisp sound resonated, and soon, a person emerged.

The newcomer was wrapped in a thick, intricate robe. A headscarf covered her hair and even the lower half of her face, revealing only the upper portion. She was adorned with various beads and ornaments, giving her a somewhat cluttered appearance.

The police chief immediately recognized from her dark skin that she was not an Imperial person and was female. However, it was difficult for him to discern more from just her visible eyes.

"I’m looking for your master," the seasoned officer said familiarly, pulling out a strange Gold Coin and placing it on the counter as a signal.

Upon seeing this, the woman turned and went inside. She soon returned and beckoned the two men to follow.

"Come with me."

Despite the absence of wind, an inexplicable chill permeated the passage. Faint, mournful wails seemed to whisper in their ears, making the atmosphere even more sinister and terrifying. Involuntary shivers ran down their spines.

I’ll never deal with such people or come to this place again! the police chief complained inwardly.

But for now, he had no choice but to steel himself and proceed.

They quickly descended into a hidden chamber. The surrounding walls, constructed from thick bluestone, were completely sealed off except for the entrance. The environment was dimly lit only by a few flickering Candles.

What made him even more uncomfortable were the various bizarre artifacts arranged around the room: deformed organs preserved in Potions, twisted statues of strange deities, and the bones of unknown creatures...

Sitting cross-legged in the chamber was a gaunt, dark-skinned man. He had deep-set facial features, sunken eyes, and was completely bald, save for a square pattern on his forehead. A thick black beard encircled his mouth.

The man wore a loose, short-sleeved white garment, revealing a string of white bone beads around his neck and, beneath them, a peculiar ornament.

Yet, for some reason, the police chief’s gaze was involuntarily drawn to that ornament.

It was triangular with a hollow center. Its outer edges were decorated with fang-like adornments, and each of its three corners had a round hole, as if something were missing.

Staring into the central void felt like peering into an abyss, as if his very soul were being drawn into its depths. But the man’s voice soon startled him back to reality.

The bald Wizard held the special Gold Coin. After the men arrived, he seemed to confirm something before pocketing the coin and looking up at them.

"I can lend a hand, but this... is not enough." The bald Wizard’s voice was slightly eerie, with a strange accent, yet his common language was understandable.

"Oh!" The police chief snapped back to reality. He was a man of the world, after all, and didn’t let himself lose composure further.

Totnes had many foreigners. From the man’s features, the police chief suspected he was a Levantine from a distant land and wondered why he had settled here.

But his recent trance-like state had heightened his vigilance. These Wizards indeed possessed strange powers; he just didn’t know what price he would have to pay.

At this thought, the police chief couldn’t help but recall the price he’d paid to his superiors just a while ago. His heart practically bled at the memory.

"What do you want?"

"A person."

The police chief had been prepared for the Wizard to demand money. He was taken aback to realize the man wasn’t asking for payment, but for a person.

I came to you looking for someone, and now you’re asking me for someone?

"What kind of person?" However, he didn’t dare to act presumptuously and instead cautiously inquired.

"A sacrifice." The bald man grinned, revealing a mouthful of uneven teeth, with several missing.

Moreover, that expression didn’t look like a smile at all. His facial muscles seemed frozen, only the corners of his mouth twitched.

Merely looking at his face filled the police chief with an inexplicable pressure. This is no human... more like a greedy monster, he thought.

The deal was quickly struck. The police chief agreed to provide an innocent person in exchange for the upcoming ritual.

"Catherine, go prepare the ritual."