Chapter 1548 - 14: The Swindler and the Cousin

Chapter 1548: Chapter 14: The Swindler and the Cousin

The violet-haired woman drew back her hand; there was a Ring in her palm set with a Ruby. In truth, that wasn’t a Ruby at all, but a kind of man‑made synthetic gemstone formed under compression, a technology only the Holy Healing Church possessed, used for anti‑counterfeiting.

The squad leader didn’t take the Ring the White Witch Enni held out. Instead, he signaled for a burly female soldier to receive it. That was a sign of respect—after all, Enni carried the Ring close to her body, it would still hold her Body temperature.

The female soldier quickly verified the Ring’s authenticity, then gave the squad leader a slight nod. Seeing this, Enni smiled, looking relaxed and easygoing.

"Take her!"

The squad leader barked, and dozens of soldiers swarmed in, surrounding Enni.

"Is this some unique welcome ceremony?"

"Enni’s" gaze swept around her.

"Heh. Your forgery skills are impressive, and you even wrapped syrup around the synthetic Shi—but fake is fake."

The squad leader let out a cold laugh and casually crushed the Ring in his hand.

"Ah‑ya‑ya, so that’s how it is."

The White Witch "Enni" raised her hands again and, smiling, let several soldiers escort her away. Soon, the squad leader confirmed her identity: her name was Meilodi, a White Witch, a swindler...

Leaving everything else aside, Su Xiao couldn’t help but regard this White Witch with different eyes. Coming all the way to Holy Healing City to run scams—this wasn’t something an ordinary person would dare.

As soon as Su Xiaogang drew near Holy Healing City, he sensed several strong Auras. One on one he wasn’t afraid of these people, but if they surrounded him, whether he could leave the city alive was anyone’s guess. And that was only the Holy Healing Church’s visible Power; for it to have grown this large, there was no way it didn’t have high‑end combat effectiveness hidden away.

Holy Healing City didn’t reject White Witches, but every White Witch entering the city had to undergo strict inspection. If a White Witch lived in Holy Healing City for more than half a year, she’d be granted an identity certificate, and from then on she wouldn’t have to worry about trouble caused by being a Witch—provided she didn’t use her Ability to cause Damage to civilians.

Su Xiao entered the city with the crowd. His goal was the Holy Healing Church, but he still needed to get a feel for the place first. If the Holy Healing Church proved reliable, joining up and getting a Witch Hunter identity wouldn’t be bad—it would make acting a lot more convenient.

Wanting to get a quick read on the city, Su Xiao used the simplest and fastest trick: he asked a few civilians on the street, then headed straight in one direction.

One hour later, in the prison of Holy Healing City, inside a filthy cell.

Meilodi stood at the iron bars. She had a severe case of mysophobia, so there was no way she’d sit on that bench covered in suspicious substances.

"Hey, woman~"

A low, skin‑crawling chuckle came from the neighboring cell. Meilodi’s lips curled up; she stepped over to the iron bars at the side of her cell. A withered arm, caked in grime, snatched toward her, only to swipe uselessly through the air in front of her.

"Little Mouse, am I pretty?"

Meilodi threw a sultry wink at the prisoner in the next cell. The gaunt man, who’d been locked up for nearly two years, swallowed hard.

"Come here."

Meilodi crooked a finger at him. She was just bored, teasing the guy next door to kill time. If she’d guessed right, she’d be living here for at least three weeks.

The scrawny prisoner in the neighboring cell pressed his Body against the bars, veins bulging on the back of his hand. Unfortunately, his fingertips were still half a meter away from Meilodi.

"If you dare kill him, you’ll be locked up for no less than thirty years."

At the wooden table outside the cell, a middle‑aged guard spoke up. He glanced at Meilodi, and feeling his gaze, Meilodi reflexively backed up a few steps. She was sure this was a retired Old witch hunter.

"My apologies."

Meilodi didn’t dare tease her cell neighbor anymore. She sighed—her long‑planned entry into the city hadn’t just failed, she now faced prison time. Even so, Meilodi remained elegant. Her creed was that her life could be lost, but she had to stay graceful.

Just then, with a clang, the prison’s heavy iron door was pushed open. Several guards came in first, all of them wearing smiles.

"This way, sir."

"Mind the step."

Welcomed in by the guards, Su Xiao, Bubu Wang, and A Mu walked into the prison. It just proved that once you paid up, you were the boss.

"Mister Cuchulainn Bai Ye, one moment please."

A guard hurried deeper into the prison. As for the name Cuchulainn Bai Ye, that was a title Su Xiao had used back in War World. The codename Bai Ye didn’t have any special meaning; back during his trial in Pirate World, Su Xiao had just casually tossed out something that didn’t sound out of place, and then kept using it ever since.

In Dark Raven World, Cuchulainn Bai Ye was obviously easier for people to accept. When in Rome, as they say.

With the guards fussing after him, Su Xiao arrived at a cell.

"Meilodi, someone’s paid your ransom, you lucky thing."

A Big-bearded Guard unlocked the cell door, gesturing for Meilodi to step out.

"Me?"

Meilodi pointed at herself, puzzled.

"Who paid my ransom?"

Meilodi was very confused; she didn’t have any friends in Holy Healing City.

"Why, this generous gentleman of course. Enough talk, get out here."

The guard’s tone was a bit impatient. Hearing him, Meilodi turned her gaze on Su Xiao. With just one look, she could tell Su Xiao wasn’t a good sort.

Meilodi had grown up surviving between the cracks of major factions, so she was very good at reading people. Su Xiao might be smiling, but Meilodi could feel that if he ransomed her out of prison, it definitely wouldn’t be good news.

"Can I stay here a few more days? The environment’s actually not bad."

As Meilodi spoke, a Mouse darted past her feet. Her face went green—the mysophobia was serious.

"Old man, did you torment her?"

The young guard turned to the middle‑aged guard. The latter’s background was mysterious, and he loathed Witches.

No one answered the young guard. The Old witch hunter was snoring away, clutching a Wine bottle to his chest.

"Mister Cuchulainn Bai Ye, may I ask what your relationship is...?"

As the young guard spoke, Su Xiao patted his shoulder. Several Gold Coin slid down his collar into his chest. The guard’s expression changed; he reached into his inner coat, and his face immediately softened.

"You, out!"

The young guard suddenly developed "intermittent amnesia." Seeing this, Meilodi backed up a few steps again.

"Stay away from me..."

The guards weren’t moved in the slightest.

"Help...!"

Meilodi screamed for at least five minutes, until she tired out. Su Xiao and the guards just stood at the cell door, smiling at her. At that point Meilodi finally grasped how serious this was.

"She’s my cousin."

"Liar, I’m obviously older than you."

"Oh, so she’s Mister Bai Ye’s cousin. My apologies for earlier."

"Hey, are you even listening to me? I don’t know him. Right, he must be from the Slave manor, yeah, definitely from there."

Meilodi cut in, still trying hard to remain elegant. Sadly, the guards all seemed to turn deaf—that was the Effect of ten Gold Coin apiece. Those shiny Gold Coin were blocking their Ears.

"My cousin here was traumatized when she was young, her head’s a bit..."

"I understand, I understand..."

The young guard leaned close to Su Xiao and murmured, "Just don’t make a big mess, or we’ll all be in trouble."

"Thanks for your help earlier."

Su Xiao of course understood the guards’ attitude. He’d first paid seventy Gold Coin in ransom—that was practically the going rate for a death‑row prisoner. Then he’d slipped each of them another ten Gold Coin, the Old witch hunter included.

The Holy Healing Church’s laws worked like this: as long as it didn’t involve a Black Witch or three or more lives, any other crime could be settled with ransom money. They called it repentance money.