Chapter 5 Tarot Club
"I also have two Sequence 9 potion recipes here. They might be more suitable for you than this lady's 'Assassin'."
"Is it really okay for you to interrupt our transaction like this?" With such silent protest, Angel turned his gaze to the short-haired man.
"I'm sorry, but please listen to my proposal first. Maybe you will be more satisfied." The short-haired man felt Angel's emotions. He apologized first and then turned his gaze to the girl.
The girl was also looking at him in confusion.
Angel suppressed his unhappiness and decided to listen to what the man had to say first.
The short-haired man gave a detailed introduction to the two Sequence 9 formulas in his hands. One was the "Sailor" potion, which allowed the user to gain excellent balance, making them as agile as a fish in the water, and even able to transform into fish scales; the other was the "Audience" potion, which allowed those who became "Audience" to gain keen observation skills and glimpse into the true thoughts of others from their expressions, mannerisms, quirks, and unknown actions.
At the end of his introduction, he added: "You must remember that whether it is a lavish banquet or a bustling street, the audience is always just an audience."
This was the same as the way of mastering potions in Angel's memory. To advance further after taking a certain potion, one had to become someone who matched the name of the potion, just like Cole Granger, becoming an assassin with blood on his hands, or an instigator who instigated crime.
Looking at the girl who was obviously more interested in the short-haired man's potion and even sat up straight, Angel felt a little relieved besides being disappointed.
"And this... Madam," the man turned to Angel after introducing the potion, "if you just want to obtain a legal identity, then I have a more convenient and cheaper channel. I can get it that same day, and after a week, even the central archives in Backlund won't be able to find any loopholes."
"My friend, not me," Angel emphasized.
"Well, then you...your Tingen friend, go to the 'Wild Heart' bar on Lower Iron Cross Street after 10 o'clock in the evening and say that the 'Captain' introduced you. The code word is 'half and half, with more sugar'. Spend thirty pounds and you can get what you want." The man did not expose Angel's obvious lie, but followed her words and introduced his own channels.
Thirty pounds... It seems that the price he quoted just now far exceeded the market price. That damned middleman... Angel thought bitterly and replied to the man, "Thank you. Your information is very helpful to me."
At the same time, he noticed the man's code name, "Captain". Combined with the Sequence 9 "Sailor" potion he had introduced earlier, could this be the origin of the code name, or even the name of a higher-level potion?
The girl politely waited for the two to finish their conversation before excitedly asking, "What about me? What do I need to exchange for the formula for 'audience' with you?"
Then she seemed to remember that she had almost made a deal with another person, and turned to Angel and said, "I'm so sorry, but I think 'audience' is more suitable for me."
What a polite girl! Angel shook her head slowly: "It's okay. I got what I needed."
The short-haired man also made his own request: "Ghost shark blood, at least 100 milliliters of ghost shark blood."
It sounded like the main ingredient of some kind of potion. The short-haired man was most likely already a Beyonder, so what he needed should be a potion that could advance him to Sequence 8 or Sequence 7.
No matter how high the sequence is, the main material cannot be exchanged for a sequence 9 potion formula, even if this person has done a lot of preparation and secretly raised the price of the formula.
The girl nodded excitedly, seemingly without considering whether she could obtain the ghost shark's blood. She then asked in a worried tone:
"If I can get it, how can I give it to you? And how can I guarantee that after you get the ghost shark blood, you will give me the formula of the potion and the authenticity of this formula?"
This is a problem. This is not like a transaction on Amazon or eBay, where there is a neutral third party to guarantee the transaction. The short-haired man can simply disappear without a trace after getting the ghost shark's blood, or give a wrong formula, and the girl can't do anything to him.
Wait, a neutral third party...
Angel's heart moved, and she looked up at the mysterious man who had been watching the transaction between them.
The short-haired man had obviously thought of this as well. "I'll give you an address. Once I receive the ghost shark blood, I'll mail the formula to you, or I'll tell you directly here. I think with this mysterious Excellency as a witness, both you and I will feel reassured."
As he spoke, he bowed his head to the mysterious man at the head of the long table and said respectfully:
"Your Excellency, you have allowed us to come here. You possess a power beyond our imagination. The testimony you have given, neither I nor she dares to disobey."
The girl obviously agreed with this. She also bowed to the mysterious man and said:
"Sir, please be a witness to our transaction."
Angel didn't dare to fall behind, and after bowing, she thought of a question.
"Sir, what should we address you?"
You can't always call him "Your Excellency" or "Your Excellency".
The mysterious man tapped his fingers lightly on the long table. Several people stared at him for a while, then felt that this behavior was disrespectful, and looked away one after another.
"You may call me Fool."
After a heart-wrenching silence, the mysterious man raised his hands, crossed his fingers and rested them on his chin, and spoke calmly.
This was obviously a code name, and its daily meaning did not inspire respect, but Angel did not dare to show any disrespect. Instead, he stood up, put his right hand on his chest, and bowed deeply.
"Dear Mr. Fool, thank you for telling us your name."
The other two also stood up and saluted.
After The Fool gestured with his right hand to signal everyone to sit down, Angel sat back in his own high-backed chair.
The girl brought up the question again: "Dear Mr. Fool, please allow me to make a request. Could you be a witness to our transaction?"
"It's just a small matter, you can continue."
The Fool seemed very interested in the transaction. He continued to rest his hands on his chin, patiently playing the role of a witness.
With the Fool as a neutral third party to guarantee the transaction, the transaction between the short-haired man and the girl was able to continue.
"If you can get the ghost shark's blood, have someone deliver it to the 'Warrior and the Sea' bar on Pelican Street in the White Rose District of Pritz Harbor. Tell the owner, Mr. Williams, that this is what the 'Captain' wants.
"Can you give me an address now and I'll send the potion formula there after I confirm the items, or can you tell me directly here?"
The girl thought for a while and chose the latter.
“Although this is a bit of a test of my memory, I’d still rather choose a more confidential approach and tell me right here.
"Mr. Fool, would you mind trying this a few more times?"
Angel, who had already gained something from this, also agreed with this. She echoed:
"Mr. Fool, your power is beyond our imagination, but there are always areas in the world that you don't understand or excel in. This lady is obviously from a noble family, and that gentleman has his own special channels and resources. I can contact some powerful Beyonders. Perhaps at some point in the future, we can help you complete those trivial things that you find it inconvenient to do yourself."
I'm sorry, Mrs. Sharon, I can only drag you here to make things look good.
The short-haired man nodded in agreement. "Mr. Fool, don't you think this kind of 'gathering' is interesting? We have different backgrounds, different resources, and different channels of information. If we can communicate with each other and cooperate in a limited way, it will produce immeasurable wonderful results!"
The young girl who benefited the most from this gathering, the future "audience," also excitedly said, "Mr. Fool, I think this is a great suggestion. As long as the 'gatherings' become regular, if you have any matters that are inconvenient for you to attend, you can definitely transfer them to us. Of course, it must be within our capabilities."
Several people looked at The Fool nervously and expectantly, waiting for his consent.
The Fool's right hand left his chin and slowly tapped the edge of the bronze table. This might have been a subconscious action while he was thinking.
The mist surrounding the magnificent temple drifts unpredictably, seemingly representing the fluctuating mood of the owner of the venue.
The knocking stopped.
"I am a person who prefers equal exchange and will not ask you to help me unconditionally."
"Every Monday at 3 p.m., try to be alone. Once I've tried a few more times and figured out a few things, maybe you can ask for leave early and don't have to worry about being in an inappropriate situation."
This was considered a gathering after the agreement to hold it regularly. Several people were obviously more relaxed, especially the young girl, who clenched her fists exaggeratedly and shook them twice in front of her chest, as if in celebration.
"Now that the party's settled, shouldn't we give ourselves code names?" Angel suggested, noting the positive atmosphere. "We can't all just use our real names."
The Fool nodded. “Good idea.”
The girl took over the conversation. "You're Mr. Fool, from the Tarot cards. Since we're going to be a regular, long-term, secret 'gathering,' our title should be as consistent as possible. I think we should choose from the Tarot cards."
Tarot cards?
Angel then noticed that "The Fool" was not taken from the general semantic meaning, but was the 22 main cards in the Tarot deck, which is number 0 in the "Major Arcana".
The history of Tarot cards in this world is not very long, less than two hundred years, but it has become one of the world's mainstream divination methods. Its inventor, "Caesar the Great" Russell Gustav, is one of the most legendary figures in the Fifth Epoch.
While Angel was racking his brains to recall the origins of the tarot cards, the girl had already chosen her code name: "It's decided, my title is, 'Justice'!"
Wait, this is what I wanted to choose...
Angel was one step behind; the title she wanted had already been chosen. Without hesitation, she quickly settled on her codename from among the alternatives: "Then I'll choose 'Queen.'"
After all, I have inexplicably become a woman.
The short-haired man said succinctly:
"The Hanged Man."
These are the main cards in the Tarot deck.
"So, we are considered founding members of the Tarot Club?" Miss Justice looked around the temple filled with only a few people, and finally turned her gaze to The Fool. "Is that all right, Mr. Fool?"
"You can make up your own minds." Obviously, The Fool doesn't want to waste his energy on such a trivial matter.
The excited Miss Justice discussed the history of Tarot cards with Mr. Hanged Man again. Angel was afraid of saying too much, so she just listened quietly. However, she felt that the eyes of the "Fool" were sweeping over her from time to time, which made her feel a little uncomfortable.
"...Emperor Roselle has seen the Blasphemous Slate. That deck of cards holds the secrets of the twenty-two divine paths..." The Hanged Man spoke eloquently, outlining his knowledge of Tarot cards, drawing exclamations of righteousness.
"Okay, let's end the party here today." Angel felt the Fool's gaze withdraw from him, and then a low voice came, announcing the end of this "Tarot Club".
“We will follow your will.” Several people hurriedly saluted and said goodbye to The Fool.
A crimson glow emanated from the surrounding fog, enveloping Angel. She saw the same thing happen to the Hanged Man across from her and Justice beside her. Their figures became blurry and unreal, and through the fog came the Fool's final words:
"Let's look forward to our next gathering."
——————————
In the howling storm of the Sonia Sea, the three-masted sailboat rose and fell among the peaks formed by the waves, like a toy in the hands of a giant.
Alger Wilson, the "Hanged Man," stood on the deck at the bow, his feet as if nailed to the ground, unaffected by the storm.
The deep red in his eyes faded, and his consciousness returned to his body. He looked around and everything was the same as before.
But Alger knew that everything was different.
The oddly shaped glass bottle in his palm shattered with a "crack". The fragments melted in his palm in just a few seconds like snowflakes encountering boiling water, and fell to the deck with the heavy rain, disappearing all traces of their existence.
A hexagonal snowflake symbol appeared on Alger's palm, flickered a few times, and then faded and disappeared.
He didn't care that this precious and extraordinary object was damaged, but instead clenched his palms and continued to stand on the bumpy deck facing the wind and rain.
…
In Backlund, the capital of the Kingdom of Loen, a luxurious villa surrounded by lush gardens.
"Justice" Audrey Hall sat in front of the dressing table, watching the ancient bronze mirror in front of her turn into pieces.
A star-like crimson appeared on the back of her hand, flowing unsteadily, then disappeared under her skin without a trace.
Only then was she sure that she was not dreaming.
Unable to contain her excitement, Audrey raised the corners of her mouth, stood up from the dressing table, lifted her skirt, bent over, and bowed to the air.
"Praise Mr. Fool."
The sound of brisk dancing could be heard in the bedroom.
…
A messy study at No. 6 Narcissus Street, Tingen City.
"Queen" Angel Gray held a gun in one hand and a bronze badge in the other. She shuddered as if her soul had returned to her body and then woke up.
The badge in his hand seemed to have experienced the baptism of thousands of years, quickly becoming mottled, and turned into dust and drifted away in the non-existent breeze.
A teardrop-shaped gem was engraved on the palm of her hand. A deep red light flashed, and a mark of the same shape disappeared into her skin. Then all the strange scenes disappeared, and the study returned to peace.
If it weren't for the change in the angle of the sun outside the window, she would almost think that everything that just happened was just an illusion.
Angel's respect and fear for The Fool deepened. He stuffed the revolver back into the desk drawer and prepared to return to the living room to catch up on some sleep before dinner.
I have to go get my "ID card" tonight.
As soon as she walked out of the study, her whole body froze and she remembered something important.
"That badge...wasn't it worth two hundred pounds?"
…
Tingen City, Lower Iron Cross Street, second floor of Franky's apartment.
Zhou Mingrui, the "Fool," stood in the middle of the room with a bewildered look on his face. When the gray fog receded, he watched helplessly as the three people he had dragged in disappeared together. Finally, his vision darkened, and he returned to the scene of the "lucky-changing ceremony" in the apartment.
My legs felt like they were filled with lead and my head was throbbing with pain. The "lucky-changing ritual" that had completely exceeded my expectations was too much of a burden on my body.
Zhou Mingrui looked at his pocket watch and roughly estimated the time that had passed. The time in the gray fog was synchronized with the real time.
He threw down his pocket watch. The torment of the headache made him unable to bear it any longer. He could only sit down on the chair and massage the temples on both sides with his hands.
"It seems that I can't go back in a short time." Zhou Mingrui thought dejectedly. The method of "going back the same way I came" obviously failed. After seeing the mysterious world, he didn't dare to try other means in the short term.
At least we should wait until our strength is improved and we have a deep understanding of mysticism.
"From now on, I am Klein Moretti." A voice filled with frustration, pain and melancholy echoed in the apartment.
To relieve the negative emotions that were about to overwhelm him, Klein turned his thoughts back to the "Tarot Club" that had just ended.
People from all corners of the world communicated face to face through the gray fog, sharing what they had. This was simply...
"Would you like to know more about online dating platforms?"
The group leader "Fool" laughed at himself.
Especially since one of the three was from Tingen City, perhaps not far from him. When he discovered this, Klein couldn't help but look at her a few more times, trying to distinguish the "Queen"'s appearance through the gray fog. Unfortunately, the mysterious gray fog was very effective in blocking his vision. He could only remember her long light golden hair and proud figure, but her appearance was blurry.
"We're just 'online friends' anyway. Even if we live in the same city, there's no chance we'll meet." Klein shook his head, putting aside the slight urge to meet in person.
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