Chapter 594: Deterrent Gaze

Chapter 594 -593: Deterrent Gaze

“The banquet officially begins now. I thank you all for attending—the gang leaders from Thousand Masts City, as well as the northerners who arrived in this city only last year.

Today’s banquet proves that we are still rational people, not bloodthirsty beasts. Likewise, no bloodthirsty beasts will be permitted here. I hope you will all abide by the rules set beforehand—no knives, no Magic, no Poison.”

Only after the Drow spoke did Colin realize she was a woman.

She paused for a moment, then continued, “Now, please state your demands.”

“I’d like some incense.” The Blood Hand Gang’s leader, Rom, sneered. “There’s a nauseating stench of beasts in here. It needs to be purified with some incense.”

“A bastard who dares charge one Gold Coin a month in the slums has no right to speak.” The woman with the crew cut from the Northern Faction spat on the floor. “But if it weren’t for you, we might not have found so many good lads. Thanks for charging such high rent and leaving so many refugees with nowhere to go.”

“Are you referring to that bunch of pickpockets and scoundrels who do nothing but cause trouble in the streets, or the old geezers huddled by the roadside waiting to die?”

The Blood Hand Gang’s leader, Rom, looked back at his own people and chuckled as if he’d just heard a joke.

“Enough,” said the tall man from the Northern Faction. “We’re here to discuss the issues.”

“The only problem now is that the Wolf Pack and the hyenas have their eyes on the same piece of meat, and that piece of meat isn’t big enough to fill everyone’s belly,” said Rom, the leader of the Blood Hand Gang.

“Hahahaha!”

Karen, the strategist sitting opposite him, burst out laughing. As if that wasn’t enough, he even undid a button on his formal attire.

“How could anyone say it’s not enough to fill their bellies? That’s absurd! Everyone, I…”

“Star, Black Lily Dew, and Blood Honey, right? We all know what you’re trying to cook up.” The Sea Otter Gang’s leader cut him off. “But do you have any idea what those things mean within Thousand Masts City, you northerner?”

“Unlicensed women, large-scale gambling, smuggling in the Dock District… The City Guard has always turned a blind eye to these things, but those substances are different.”

The veiled woman spoke, “You think hiding in this little house makes everything fine? The powerful members of the City Guard could crush us like cockroaches whenever they please!”

“A blacksmith always has a hammer. Since we want to do this business, of course we know how to make it succeed. The family backing our enterprise is no small fry, and I happen to know a route to Mokewick. This is the foundation for success.”

Karen, the strategist, said fervently, “And you can all contribute to this enterprise. The Sea Otter Gang can provide the perfect smuggling routes, the Blood Hand Gang’s boys make perfect bodyguards, and attracting customers will depend on your girls. As long as we stand united, we’ll be drowning in a flood of Gold Coins!”

“And you? What can you do?” said Rom, the Blood Hand Gang’s leader.

The woman from the Northern Faction shot him a disdainful look. “Didn’t he just say? The noble family and the route!”

Karen’s fanatical expression vanished.

He lowered his head slightly, his eyes downcast as he looked at the others. He gave an innocent shrug. “I know a few things about human trafficking, secret assassinations, threatening nobles… that sort of thing. The work I can do is to do my best to keep these secrets, or… you know.”

As soon as he finished speaking, all the local gang leaders from Thousand Masts City turned to look at Don.

‘A single question arose in all their minds: How did the Northern Faction get intelligence on their gangs?’

“Lord Greco, you too can be of great use to our enterprise.”

Karen also looked at Don and said, “Of everyone here, you are the most remarkable. Before any gang goes to war, they must first come to you and pay a hefty price for information.

You can decide the fate of a gang with just a few words. Even though the Hundred Eyes Gang can’t match the others in size, you are, in fact, the uncrowned king of the slums.”

“You flatter me,” Don said, leaning back in his chair.

“So, your opinion is…?”

Don smiled and said, “What we should be discussing today is how to achieve peace in the Underworld. At the very least, we shouldn’t annoy the City Guard to the point where the entire Underworld of Thousand Masts City faces a crackdown.”

“But the key to the problem is how to cultivate the fertile soil from which we can all grow, Lord Greco.”

Karen continued, “The current City Lord is that Percival Aragonda. That incompetent fat man has no ability to rein in the Masked Lord Council. For us, this is a golden opportunity, isn’t it?

As long as every gang is making money, won’t we be able to reach an agreement? And the Hundred Eyes Gang’s intelligence is the final piece of the puzzle. As long as we have enough intel, we can predict the City Guard’s movements in advance.

That way, we can retreat into the Underworld at the right moment. Are they really going to chase us into the Undercity? They can’t afford to take that risk!”

Don fell silent.

After a moment, the burly man from the Northern Faction said in a low voice, “I think it’s time you gave an answer.”

CLANG.

An iron boot stepped onto the floor, making a crisp, metallic sound.

The entire room suddenly fell silent. Everyone’s gaze shifted to the source of the sound—the bodyguard in Plate Armor standing behind Don.

The man was about 1.8 meters tall, with a solid build. A strange little owl stood on his shoulder.

His Plate Armor was very strange. There was some kind of white substance on the raised ridges of the plates, and a magical chill seeped from the Armor’s surface, flowing down to the floor. The sight sent a shiver down one’s spine.

The visor of the Charell Helmet was just a narrow slit, making it impossible to see the face or expression of the one wearing the armor.

It was as if time had frozen in that moment.

The smiles vanished from everyone’s faces. The few who still maintained a smile wore forced, mirthless expressions.

The next moment, the bodyguard raised his right hand and rested it on the hilt of the Dagger at his waist.

‘For some reason… in that instant, the gang leaders suddenly felt like mice being watched by an owl.’

Colin didn’t shy away from the gang leaders’ gazes. Instead, he stood his ground, slowly turning his head to carefully study the face and expression of everyone present, ready to enter his [Sword Dance] state to deal with any potential trouble.

After scanning the room, he locked his gaze onto Karen.

Karen, the strategist, said with a smile, “Lord Greco, is this a friend of yours?”