Mystery: Starting from the Shadow World

Chapter 81 Strategic Deception

Emlyn White cursed the murderer with resentment in his heart. As a noble vampire, he was able to keep his identity hidden, live a peaceful life, and earn money to buy more dolls. That was what he wanted.

Are those three guys? Damn it!

Emlyn gritted his teeth and continued reading:

"So I've moved all the dolls in your room to a safe place to take care of them. Don't worry about them getting damaged. As long as no secret organizations or official extraordinary individuals come to me every week, I will return some of the dolls."

"You can also choose the outcome that none of us really want to see, if you wish."

"One of your friends."

Staring at the last line of signature, Emlyn White's expression twisted. Despite his extreme anxiety, he was helpless. He couldn't possibly tell his elders about this shameful matter and ask them to help him find the doll.

The vampire reluctantly flipped through the letter. What was originally just a way to soothe his nerves turned into an unexpected discovery. Emlyn narrowed his blood-red eyes, staring at the small print in the corner:

"Of course, I imagine you're tormented by losing something you cherish so much, so I have other methods that are more dangerous, more secure, and better demonstrate your sincerity."

"As for the specific time and place to discuss, how about tomorrow morning at 9:30, at Cloverfield Cafe in Hillston? What do you think?"

Emlyn's breathing became a little heavier. He now desperately wanted to seek help from his parents and everyone he knew to get rid of this damned guy and find out the location of his doll.

But he didn't dare gamble on that possibility.

These dolls are all his spiritual pillars. If any one of them is lost and cannot be recovered, it will become an unhealable rift in his heart.

Emlyn clutched the letter tightly in his hand, suppressing the urge to immediately go find the sender. He closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and sat on the floor against the wall, muttering restlessly to himself:

"Tomorrow, tomorrow"

The next day, at 9:06 AM.

Hillston District.

Inside Cloverfield Café, Philip silently sipped his unsweetened coffee, glancing at the vampire sitting closest to the door who checked the time with his pocket watch every ten seconds or so, and was slightly speechless.

To prevent the other party from calling in reinforcements to ambush him, Philip arrived at 8:30 am to leisurely enjoy his breakfast. By taking advantage of the time difference, he could pretend to be an innocent passerby and leave if he noticed something was wrong.

As it turned out, this vampire had already been sitting in the cafe for who knows how long when she came to order food while still in Jane Charlotte's guise!

The other person's restlessness and haggard appearance made Philip feel that her conscience was being tested. However, for the sake of safety, this kind of thing was unavoidable, and she didn't want any accidents to happen.

After waiting for more than half an hour, Philip confirmed that there was unlikely to be any powerful extraordinary beings lying in ambush nearby. He then drank the Southvale coffee in his cup and went straight to the table and chairs where Emlyn was sitting, tapping lightly with his fingers.

Da, da, da.

These few soft sounds quickly brought Emlyn's thoughts back to reality. His eyes, regaining focus, quickly turned to the right, where he saw a beautiful young woman he had no recollection of.

Normally, he might have managed to force a smile and chat with her, but now, given what had happened, his expression and tone were anything but friendly. "Miss, what can I do for you?"

"Mr. Emlyn White."

Philip wore a serene smile, her slender, pale fingers pointing towards the corner as she softly said, "I think we should find another place to discuss your dolls, shouldn't we?"

boom!

Emlyn jumped up, staring intently at the girl in front of him. When he came to his senses, he noticed the gazes directed at him from all around and the pain in his hands.

"Cough cough." The vampire coughed twice, trying his best to calm himself down, and followed Philip to the corner table and chairs, where he sat opposite him.

After taking his seat, he looked around to make sure no one else was eavesdropping or lying in ambush before calmly questioning:

"Tell me, where are they?!"

Da, da.

Philip tapped the table lightly again, a slight smile playing on his lips as he shook his head with a hint of helplessness. "Mr. White, I think you've misunderstood."

"In fact, this is a commission I accepted at yesterday's gathering of extraordinary people. The person who commissioned me gave me specific information and paid me a fee. In return, I will bear the risk of appearing in public. I hope you won't put me in a difficult position."

So that's how it is. Hmph, what a cunning fellow. Emlyn gritted his teeth inwardly. Knowing that the person in front of him was not the culprit, his tone softened slightly: "Don't worry, as long as you don't reveal my identity, I have no interest in reporting you to the official Extraordinary. There's absolutely no benefit in that."

"Tell me what that guy said, and how I can get them back to me? Now, immediately!"

Philip stroked his chin, feigning hesitation for two seconds before dropping a bombshell before Emlyn could press him further: "He said his request is simple: you pray to a hidden being and become their follower, and they will immediately return half of the doll to you."

Emlyn's eyes widened; he almost doubted he'd heard correctly. "This..."

Even though he was engrossed in dolls and oblivious to worldly affairs, as a vampire, he still understood that praying to those almost entirely unreliable, hidden beings outside the Seven Gods could have far more consequences than any living being could bear.

This could very well ruin everything!

Seeing Emlyn's expression, Philip showed no surprise. Instead, he calmly took two sips of his newly bought cup of South Wales coffee before slowly speaking:

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!

He said there was no danger.

If I actually believed that there was no danger, I would be the stupidest, most foolish, and most shameful vampire! Emlyn was seething with resentment, but thinking that it had nothing to do with the girl in front of him, he could only hang his head and sigh silently.

At that moment, a piece of paper was slapped onto the table.

Emlyn's gaze shifted upwards, and upon discovering that it was a three-part incantation, after a moment's hesitation, he did not resist and silently recited it in Rune, memorizing it.

Ten seconds later, Philip took the white paper back, clenched it in his hand, and stuffed it into his pocket.

"If you don't give up immediately, I'll just show you this piece of paper and let you decide for yourself. That's what he said. Oh, and also, if you spread this name, you'll bear the consequences."

Emlyn sat up straight again, his tone and expression calmer than before. "Without the assurance of a 'notary,' I cannot trust your sincerity, unless, unless..."

"Unless?" Philip asked without any hesitation.

Whether the other party wanted to know the origin of her name or wanted to drag her down with them, she had already anticipated these things and prepared her responses.

"You showed me they were perfectly unharmed!"

Emlyn's impassioned reply left Philip, who was about to launch into a long speech, stunned. He blinked, and after a long pause, somewhat bewildered, said:

"Huh?"

(End of this chapter)