CHAPTER 214: CHAPTER 211: [BIG SHOTS, LITTLE CHARACTERS]

Chapter Two Hundred and Eleven: Big Shots, Little Shots

After dining, Chen Nuo returned to the room arranged for him to rest.

The room was located on the top left side of the third floor of the manor’s main building; it was spacious and comfortable. Moreover, with the wealth of the Octopus Monster organization, one could enjoy any luxury they desired here.

However, Chen Nuo was destined not to dwell on such matters.

That night, he let go of all his distracting thoughts and earnestly entered a state of emptying his mind. He introspected, nurtured his spiritual power little by little, aiming to reach his optimal state.

At seven o’clock in the morning, Chen Nuo got up on time, neatened up his disguise in the bathroom once more, and after ensuring there were no flaws, he was satisfied.

Then, it was time to go downstairs to the restaurant for breakfast.

Chen Nuo thought he had arrived early, but upon reaching the restaurant, he found that quite a few people were already seated.

At the table closest to the door sat a middle-aged man with a withered appearance and short, gray hair. He was dressed in a wrinkled coat, sipping soup with his head down.

When Chen Nuo looked over, the man immediately returned the gaze. After a brief eye contact, they both looked away as the other continued to sip his soup with a cold and detached expression.

Chen Nuo noted that at the man’s feet, a gray-furred cat lay obediently, casually licking its paws on the floor.

Gray Cat Black – Mentality Series. Chen Nuo concluded the man’s identity.

At the second table to the right by the window, two people were seated.

One was an old man with white hair, dressed in a suit, the collar of his shirt beneath it impeccably tidy. An old-fashioned pair of glasses rested on the bridge of his nose.

This was "Professor" Joonk—a surname that sounded typically Germanic.

Seated with the Professor was "Orderer" Bonfrey.

This Orderer seemed much more casual. He appeared to be in his thirties, acted gracefully, and wore a very well-tailored suit. Next to his chair lay a gentleman’s cane with a gleaming silver-inlaid handle.

The Professor and the Orderer were obviously acquainted. They sat at the same table, conversing softly. They had evidently finished breakfast and were leisurely drinking coffee.

The Orderer held his coffee cup in one hand, while his other hand gently rested on the armrest of his chair, toying with what looked to be an ancient pocket watch, seemingly absentmindedly opening and closing it.

As Chen Nuo entered, both men immediately turned to look over.

Orderer Bonfrey was the first to smile and nod at Chen Nuo, while the Professor furrowed his brows but also coldly nodded in acknowledgment.

Chen Nuo smiled back and walked over.

"Good morning, Professor, Orderer," he said.

"Good morning... hmm, should I address you as Mr. Bigfoot, or Harvey?" Orderer Bonfrey replied.

This gentleman, who seemed to have an air of nobility, had a magnetic voice and a gentle tone.

"Either is fine; names are not important," Chen Nuo replied with a smile, then turned to the Professor.

The Professor hesitated before speaking. "Would you like to sit down, Harvey?"

However, it was clear from his expression and eyes that he wasn’t very welcoming.

Chen Nuo shook his head. "No, you two must be discussing something. I won’t disturb you. I have friends here, so I’ll excuse myself."

With that, he walked away with a smile.

The Professor watched Chen Nuo’s retreating figure, his expression a bit somber, while Bonfrey maintained a polite smile.

"You don’t seem to like him?" Bonfrey chuckled softly.

"An infamous fellow," the Professor shook his head.

Chen Nuo made his way to the table he had sat at the day before. Sato Ryoko was already seated there, diligently spreading a thick layer of butter on her bread.

She was so focused on this task that she didn’t even look up when Chen Nuo approached.

"Miss Ryoko, may I sit here?" Chen Nuo smiled and greeted her in Japanese.

Sato Ryoko looked up, her small eyes blinking a few times, and then she immediately stood up and bowed. "Of course! Please do, Mr. Harvey."

Chen Nuo sat down and first hailed an attendant maid. "A coffee, with sugar and milk."

"Certainly, sir," the maid quickly flashed a polite smile. "And for breakfast, what would you require?"

"Fried eggs, bacon, and toast—make it whole wheat."

After the maid left, Sato Ryoko beamed at Chen Nuo. "I thought Westerners like you preferred black coffee."

"No, I like to pursue flavor," Chen Nuo shook his head. "Pursuing sweetness is a common trait among most humans. Black coffee, after all, is only liked by a minority."

The coffee was quickly served. Chen Nuo stirred it a couple of times with a spoon and looked at Sato Ryoko. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Indeed, the food here is simply too delicious," Sato Ryoko laughed heartily.

Well... surely this one isn’t just here for the free food and drinks...

"Mr. Harvey, have you been to RB? You speak Japanese very well."

"Uh..." Chen Nuo pondered for a moment and blurted out a lie, smiling. "I once had a girlfriend from RB."

"I see," Sato Ryoko nodded earnestly.

Then Chen Nuo casually chatted with Sato Ryoko while eating breakfast.

He easily coaxed some information about her from the conversation.

Sato Ryoko claimed to be twenty-eight years old and, until a year ago—for the first twenty-seven years of her life—she was just an ordinary RB office drone. An ordinary family background, ordinary university graduation, ordinary job...

Last year, she awoke to her abilities and became a Mentality Series Psychic.

According to her, she was terrified by the change at first.

Then, after the fear and uneasiness subsided, what followed was overwhelming joy. This change in emotions is very consistent with human nature.

Sato Ryoko began secretly exploiting her powers to gain some small advantages. For instance, she used the powerful memory associated with Mentalists to significantly improve her job performance, earning a promotion within a short period. She also used her powers to secretly teach a lesson to two nasty colleagues who often bullied her, as well as two local thugs near her residence.

Then, Sato Ryoko suddenly realized how boring such a life was—the power she possessed should not confine her to the mundane life of ordinary people. Having gained such extraordinary abilities, one should live a better life, have a more thrilling existence—just like in superhero movies.

Last year, Sato Ryoko accidentally made friends with another Ability User from RB while using her abilities. Then that friend introduced her, via the internet, to a website frequented by Psychics.

The website wasn’t the Octopus Monster’s site and didn’t have much fame in the Underground World. It could only be described as a minor site used for communication among lower-tier Ability Users.

However, that website opened a gateway into the Underground World for Sato Ryoko.

Two months later, having successfully completed two commissions on that little site, Sato Ryoko caught the attention of the Octopus Monster organization.

Incidentally, the Octopus Monster organization constantly monitors the dynamics of the Underground World and pays attention to many websites where Underground World Ability Users gather. Once they spot someone outstanding, they extend an invitation—similar to a portal website’s crawler program.

Thus, Sato Ryoko received an invitation from the Octopus Monster website. She received a USB drive, granting her Black Iron Level membership. This marked her official entry into the Octopus Monster organization, albeit as one of its lowest-ranking members.

But speaking of the current official mission, Chen Nuo was quite curious and asked her a question. "For such an official and important mission, how did a Black Iron Level, bottom-tier member manage to have her application approved?"

"I sent in my application, and it was quickly rejected," Sato Ryoko said with a bit of pride. "But I wasn’t willing to give up. I then sent a short video to the official account that sent me the rejection message. I recorded a clip of myself using my abilities and sent it over. And then... a few days later, I passed."

Alright, she was a clever one, unwilling to settle for mediocrity, possessing ambition and a drive to change her own destiny.

Chen Nuo sighed to himself.

However... all this information came from Sato Ryoko herself. As for its authenticity, Chen Nuo wasn’t inclined to believe it so easily.

Moreover, throughout the conversation, neither of them mentioned anything about yesterday’s events. Concerning the incident that occurred yesterday—Lion Luke’s death—it seemed as though everyone deliberately avoided the topic.

「Around half past eight, Vanel walked into the dining room, accompanied by the beautiful and fiercely dangerous female mercenary Selena.」

"Everyone!"

Vanel stood at the entrance of the dining room, laughing loudly as he spoke.

"...Good morning, everyone! My friends, I believe that after a night’s rest and a delicious breakfast, every single one of you is eagerly awaiting the commencement of the mission. So... we will have our first meeting about the mission in the conference room on the second floor in ten minutes!"

The few Psychics present who were participating in the mission immediately perked up, turning their attention to Vanel.

"Does anyone have any objections?"

Vanel seemed to be in good spirits.

"No problem, Vanel, we’ve been ready to start," said Orderer Bonfrey, the first to respond, smiling with a noble demeanor. "I’ve been staying here for three days now; I think it’s time to start working."

The Professor nodded.

Chen Nuo and Sato Ryoko didn’t speak.

"I have a question."

A dry, sharp voice rose—this person’s voice sounded as if a fork was forcefully scraping the bottom of a plate. Surprisingly, the one who spoke up was "Gray Cat" Black—the most reclusive person in the dining room.

Black sat there, holding his gray cat in his arms, gently stroking the fur on the cat’s back, his gaze cold as he looked at Vanel.

"Mr. Black, please state your question," Vanel replied, his expression unchanged.

"About the accident yesterday... our numbers are short now. I want to know how you have addressed this issue."

"Naturally, we have new friends arriving to fill the gap," Vanel said.

"That’s my point!" Black replied coldly. "I don’t want to see any issues of personal vendettas among the new members! If a fight breaks out again during the mission, it could jeopardize the safety of us all."

Vanel looked a bit embarrassed but still quickly gave an answer. "I understand your concerns, Black. However, I can assure you that there will be no such issue with the new members."

"How can you guarantee that?" Black persisted.

"...I could announce the list of members who haven’t yet arrived so you can judge for yourself, Mr. Black," Vanel replied.

Black nodded. "Go ahead! I’m sure everyone here would like to know this list."

"The first, from Northern Europe, is Mr. Bruno, known as the ’Sea Monster’."

Once this name was said, several people present involuntarily showed slight changes in their expressions. That’s because the "Sea Monster" Bruno had developed quite a reputation in the Underground World in recent years!

The hierarchy in the Underground World tended to be strict. Currently, those known to stand at the top of the pyramid are recognized as "Controllers." This group includes figures like the Star Sky Empress and the Wizard, among other major players. These individuals are acknowledged as the absolute apex of the Underground World’s Ability User hierarchy.

In the Underground World, people also speculated and debated with curiosity about which of the existing Controllers was the strongest. Various rankings and numerous guesses often became the center of debates on websites.

But because it’s almost impossible for Controllers to engage in life-and-death battles—everyone adopts a withdrawn stance to any war among them—these speculations about strength, lacking conclusive proof, never result in a ranking all can agree on.

But!!

In recent years, there is one thing that almost everyone has come to acknowledge.

That is, aside from those dozen or so abnormally powerful Controllers...

Right below the Controllers, "Sea Monster" is the strongest!

This is a recognized classification. Beneath the Controllers are the Destroyers.

And it is said that this "Sea Monster," Mr. Bruno, has already reached the pinnacle of the Destroyers!

His power is only a hair’s breadth away from breaking through to become a Controller.

Well, using future terms, that would be a half-step master... Ah, forget it! Half-step Controller.

Moreover, everyone acknowledges Mr. Sea Monster as the most likely candidate among all known Ability Users to break through and become the next Controller magnate!

By the way, Vanel, who was acting all mysterious yesterday, had told Chen Nuo that another "big shot" would arrive today. This "big shot" Vanel spoke of was none other than this "Sea Monster" Bruno.

Indeed, if Chen Nuo were excluded and everyone else ranked according to the strength of the eight members selected for this official mission, Sea Monster Bruno would absolutely be the big shot who could dominate everyone present.

"I heard you’ve crossed hands with this Sea Monster before?" Bonfrey quietly asked the Professor beside him.

The Professor sipped his coffee with a calm face. "He is indeed very strong, stronger than me."

"My old friend, such an answer doesn’t seem to match your pride."

"In the Underground World, strength is everything. The strong are strong, the weak are weak," the Professor said calmly. "Losing to him was a fair duel; I simply wasn’t as strong as he was. I lost, and there’s nothing to dwell on."

Bonfrey sighed. "If even you lost to him, then I am even less of a match."

Although their conversation was quiet, everyone present was a Psychic, and they could all hear it clearly.

"Gray Cat" Black nodded with a calm expression. "Then, who is the second choice?"

"The second one, you needn’t worry at all, Black. I believe no one here has any past grudges with the second candidate," Vanel said lightly. "This is because, thanks to our company’s strenuous efforts last night and at great cost, we finally managed to invite an even more impactful big shot!"

Chen Nuo sighed upon hearing this. Just as expected!

"The second big shot is a Controller!" Vanel announced coldly.

At that, the entire audience fell silent.

Controller!

In the Underground World, to everyone present, a Controller is an existence high above the clouds.

"Alright... I admit you’re right," Black said with a wry smile. "I certainly don’t have the capability to antagonize a Controller."

The Professor and Orderer also maintained silence.

"This Controller, I think you all are familiar with his name... the second candidate is also the one we’ve decided to lead this mission... a legend and glory of the Underground World!!"

At this point, Vanel took a deep breath. "Son of the Sun, Lord Gomez!"

...Huh? Chen Nuo was stunned. What happened to the Star Sky Empress? Why the switch?

But no one paid any mind to Chen Nuo’s peculiar expression. For everyone present revealed a look of awe and wariness upon hearing that name.

Son of the Sun, Gomez.

That name was well-known, a thunderous presence in the Underground World.

He was a figure who could stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of the Wizard or the Star Sky Empress!

And in the Underground World, his name was even more legendary than the Wizard or the Star Sky Empress.

Because... he had long been an established Controller.

Long before the Wizard and Star Sky Empress made their names, the Son of the Sun was already a renowned Controller magnate.

He had been famous for over twenty years!

After a few seconds of silence, Black nodded and took a deep breath. "With a name like the Son of the Sun, I don’t think anyone would have any objections to this great personage. So, who’s the third candidate?"

"There isn’t a third," Vanel shook his head.

Black frowned. "No third? Didn’t you say there were eight people?"

He pointed at himself. "Me, the Professor, Orderer, Bigfoot Harvey, and that lady from RB. Add the Sea Monster and this Son of the Sun... that makes only seven people! Yesterday, Lion Luke and Golden Bird were both disqualified!"

"No, this is the last announcement for today. According to the medical team’s evaluation, Ms. Golden Bird, although injured, has her condition under control. Furthermore, we’ve contacted Lord Son of the Sun, and he has promised to use his powers to help Ms. Golden Bird recover from her injuries. Therefore, Ms. Golden Bird Elizabeth will rejoin our ranks. So, with Ms. Golden Bird Elizabeth rejoining us, our eight members are: Son of the Sun, Sea Monster, Professor, Orderer, Harvey, Miss Sato Ryoko, Golden Bird Elizabeth, and you, Mr. Black! These are the eight members for this mission! Oh, and let’s not forget our exceptional Steel Fire Company’s mercenary team—professional warriors of outstanding caliber! Under Captain Selena’s leadership, they will assist us in completing this mission!"

As Vanel introduced her, Selena, standing beside him, nodded to everyone.

"Any other questions?"

This time, everyone remained silent.

Even Black was just stroking his cat, not speaking anymore.

"So, everyone, please move upstairs now. Let’s meet in the conference room!"

Chen Nuo deliberately dawdled at the back and then walked up to Vanel’s side.

"Didn’t you say yesterday that you invited the Star Sky Empress?"

"Don’t mention it," Vanel said with a strange expression. "Her Majesty the Empress’s young agent, upon receiving our call, directly quoted a reward of one hundred million US dollars."

...Goodness, Little Candy is really ruthless!

"So you refused?"

"No, we agreed," Vanel shook his head.

"Then..."

"After we agreed to the hundred million dollar fee, the other side shamelessly raised the price to two hundred million..."

Okay, it has to be said. There’s a reason why Little Candy chose to follow Chen Yanluo in my previous life. We’re all cut from the same cloth!!

"It just so happened that another group got in touch with the Son of the Sun. Lord Gomez agreed, so we gave up on inviting the Star Sky Empress."

「Upon entering the third-floor conference room, Chen Nuo and Vanel were the last to enter.」

As they walked in, they saw three distinct groups sitting around the long conference table.

The Professor, the Orderer, and Gray Cat Black sat together.

Sato Ryoko and a woman who looked no longer young sat together—this woman was Golden Bird Elizabeth, the woman who had killed Lion Luke yesterday.

At the front of the conference room, a person was standing by the window. Tall, wearing a loose overcoat, with blond hair, typical deep-set Scandinavian eyes, and sharp, handsome features.

Chen Nuo recognized him at a glance; it was "Sea Monster" Bruno, the one known as a Half-step Controller.

This fellow nicknamed Sea Monster wasn’t the burly giant one might imagine, but rather a handsome, slender, and cheerful-looking young man.

However, Sea Monster’s mood at the moment was not very pleasant. Originally, for this mission, it had been internally agreed that he would lead the team due to his superior strength. But the sudden involvement of the Son of the Sun left Sea Monster’s position awkward. After all, no matter how powerful a Half-step Controller is, they are no match for a genuine Controller.

And in Chen Nuo’s perception, seeing Mr. Sea Monster with his own eyes was even more bizarre. Because... in my previous life, this Sea Monster died by my own hand...

Looking at the clearly divided three camps present, Sea Monster was undoubtedly the loneliest.

Chen Nuo thought for a moment, then still chose to sit next to Sato Ryoko. He greeted Golden Bird nearby, "Ms. Elizabeth, hello."

"Mr. Harvey, good morning." Elizabeth’s face was a bit pale, and she didn’t seem well; her injuries were clearly still affecting her.

Moreover, the Professor, the Orderer, and Gray Cat Black had chosen not to sit with her, and there was a reason. Golden Bird’s actions yesterday had undoubtedly crossed a major line in the Underground World: attacking one’s comrades before a mission! Who would dare sit with you? Who would dare approach you? During a mission, who would have the confidence to trust you with their back?

But Sato Ryoko was a newcomer and probably didn’t harbor such considerations, so upon entering, she had taken the initiative to sit next to Elizabeth, the only female Psychic present.

"Mr. Harvey, are you sure you want to sit here?" Elizabeth asked Chen Nuo coldly.

"Of course, but first I need you to answer a question for me," Chen Nuo said earnestly. "My question is... Ms. Elizabeth, as a veteran Ability User of the Underground World, what kind of grudge compelled you to take the risk of breaking the rules and act against a comrade after accepting a commission?"

He paused, then Chen Nuo added slowly, "Of course, you can also choose not to answer... but if so, then I won’t be able to give you the trust of a comrade in the mission ahead!"

Elizabeth was silent for a few seconds, staring into Chen Nuo’s eyes. Finally, the wrinkles at the corners of her not-so-young face slowly deepened, revealing a tragic smile.

"I can answer that question, because...

"Last year, on a mission in North Africa, Lion Luke killed an Ability User from an opposing faction.

"The Ability User he killed was a twenty-three-year-old young man. He was young and had limitless potential!

"Luke killed him brutally and tore his body apart!"

Chen Nuo nodded, continuing to watch Elizabeth.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and said slowly, "That boy... he was my son.

"My only son!"