The North American Gourmet Demon Handbook

"So, you need my help?" Vikram Chandrasekhar's voice was tinged with mockery.

“No, Vikram, I don’t need your help. I am giving you a chance.”

Romano's voice became deeper and more alluring.

"A chance to join forces with me."

"Think about it, once we resolve this threat, the Drummond family will be grateful to us, and we will become their most indispensable right-hand men."

"As long as you help me this time, I, Marco Giuseppe Romano, solemnly promise that I will do my best to help you deal with those people in Chicago and help you sit on the throne of the Great Wizard of the Boiling Sage."

"By then, will you be far from realizing your grand ideal?"

He had a vague idea of ​​Vikram's ambitions—though he wasn't sure what they were specifically, there was no doubt that the Indian was ambitious—so he wrote a huge blank check.

"Of course, this is just a long-term ideal. Once this is accomplished, all of the Drummond family's resources in the wizarding world will be shared by us."

"I can even assure you that you will be fully responsible for all of the Drummond family's operations in Asia, including the most secretive channels and the most lucrative profits."

"All of Asia?" Vikram's voice was no longer calm, with a hint of uncontrollable excitement.

"Yes, all of them. As long as we work together, we can completely eliminate these wizards and let Mr. Drummond see our ability and loyalty."

"This isn't just about quelling a crisis, Vikram. This is our chance to completely control the Drummond family's resources, and even the entire witchcraft world of Medicine Valley!"

Romano's voice was like the devil's whisper, tempting Vikram Chandrasekhar's most primitive desires.

"Are you sure you're not kidding?" Vikram's voice was filled with a hint of doubt, but more of greed.

“Although our relationship has never been good, you should know, Vikram, that I, Marco Giuseppe Romano, never joke at times like these.”

"Vikram, this is our best and maybe only chance right now."

"Within three days, we must make those wizards disappear completely. We must restore public opinion to its normal course and allow Alex Drummond to return to the Drummond family mansion."

"Do you dare to take a gamble?"

Romano's voice was full of defiance, knowing that Vikram would not refuse such a temptation.

There was another brief silence on the other end of the line. Romano could even hear Vikram's rapid breathing. He knew the fish had taken the bait.

"Okay, Marco." Vikram's voice finally came, with a hint of suppressed excitement and a hint of subtle viciousness. "I'll make a bet with you. Tell me, what do you need me to do?"

Vikram Chandrasekhar's viciousness is almost uncontrollable.

Because when he thought of Marco Giuseppe Romano, this arrogant and stupid Italian, who had spent so much time confused and didn't even know who the enemy was, but was still qualified to use the Drummond family's huge resources, the hatred of being discriminated against by white people as an Indian was difficult to suppress.

Author's words: Thanks to Qianxiao Anran, Shi Aji, and Xiaopingguo112633 for their recommendations

I had something to do last night, so I can only update once. Please forgive me...

321 Make a plan

"What do you need me to do?" Vikram's voice sounded calm, even with a hint of sincerity in cooperation, but his eyes were like a venomous snake, staring at the phone intently, as if they could penetrate the line and tear Romano's self-righteous face into pieces.

Damn, this idiot!

Vikram cursed in his mind.

What wizard conspiracy, what collusion between Cyrus Morton and Theodore Lancaster?

Romano, that idiot, hadn't figured out the situation at all! He thought he'd uncovered some earth-shattering secret, but in reality, he was just a poor wretch being led around by the nose.

The mastermind behind this is the FBI! The opposing agent is FBI Agent Li—even Li Shanze, the FBI consultant, has a very impressive background—this is clearly a fight between two giant Buddhas!

But so what? Romano’s stupidity was Vikram’s opportunity.

"All the business in Asia...even the entire witchcraft world in Medicine Valley?" Vikram chewed over the bait thrown by Romano in his mind, with a hint of sarcastic smile on the corner of his mouth.

These blank checks sound so tempting.

Romano, this idiot, thinks that as long as he paints a big picture, he can make Vikram Chandrasekhar work for him obediently?

Vikram would “take a gamble,” of course he would.

But what he was betting on was not Romano's success, but Romano's failure.

He would use Romano's resources and his recklessness to let this arrogant Italian charge into battle and serve as cannon fodder.

And he, Vikram, would be like a patient hunter, watching from the shadows, waiting for the best opportunity.

In Vikram Chandrasekhar's opinion, Romano, who doesn't even know who his enemy is, is definitely no match for Li Shanze.

If Vikram Chandrasekhar himself had not happened to notice the furious Vivian Sterling, noticed this gold medal PR woman, and noticed that this woman focused all her attention on Li Shanze, he probably would not have realized that the inconspicuous FBI agent would be the key figure in this matter.

Vikram Chandrasekhar tested Li Shanze knowing that Vivian Sterling was eavesdropping, and then by observing the FBI's reaction, he immediately determined that Li Shanze was the real core figure in this incident.

Because Vivian Sterling disappeared without a trace—she disappeared without a trace after being locked up in an FBI cell—which is exactly how the FBI always does.

Vikram knew very well that an ordinary Asian agent was not worth the FBI's efforts.

Compared with abandoning a loyal Asian dog, offending or even getting rid of a woman who has good personal relationships with many upper-class people - Vivian Sterling's lawyer and even Senator Hamilton's daughter - this choice is simply a free point question.

Since the FBI's choice was unexpected, it is obvious that Li Shanze has an extraordinary identity.

Perhaps he plays a crucial role in this storm, so important that the FBI is willing to clear all obstacles for him.

Compared to the arrogant Marco Giuseppe Romano who didn't understand the situation, it was obvious that standing on Li Shanze's side, on the side that was about to win, was the smarter choice.

Look at the location they chose, the crew of "The Amish" outside Philadelphia. It was the territory once run by Cyrus Morton, and there were probably countless witchcraft circles there.

And now the FBI people are still staying there under the pretext of investigating a case, but they have probably already turned it into a dangerous place with many traps.

As for the bad checks written by Romano, Vikram didn't take them to heart.

Vikram Chandrasekhar knew very well that these stupid and arrogant white people would never hire Indians unless the next generation was too stupid to be used.

Being a housekeeper for a white master or a loyal guardian dog may be the ultimate goal of life for countless Indians, but it is definitely not for Vikram Chandrasekhar.

Although the yellow people (those of Japanese and Korean descent) that Vikram had met before were often loyal dogs of white people, Vikram believed that Li Shanze was different.

In previous attempts, Vikram Chandrasekhar discovered that Li Shanze was different from the yellow people he usually saw.

The arrogance that was unconsciously revealed between the lines of Li Shanze's words was exactly the same as that of a real American white person. If Li Shanze knew about this evaluation, he would definitely correct Vikram. That was not arrogance, that was the demeanor of a citizen of a great country.

Vikram even wondered how Li Shanze developed such a temperament. Is there a big country in the world composed of yellow people just like the United States?

It was precisely because of this strange, unpleasant yet reassuring aura he saw in Li Shanze, coupled with Romano's stupid look of being kept in the dark the whole time, that Vikram made up his mind to trick Romano in return.

“Shiva and Brahma are fighting…” Vikram murmured softly, with a shrewd glint in his eyes.

On one side is the Drummond family, which is large and ancient, but is now overwhelmed by the crisis of public opinion; on the other side is the FBI, which represents the absolute power of the state apparatus and obviously has the upper hand.

Romano, this idiot, actually wanted to challenge the FBI? Does he think he is Don Quixote?

A cold smile appeared on Vikram's lips. He certainly wouldn't go to his death with Romano.

He would "cooperate" with Romano, but this cooperation was more like a form of leveraging Romano's strength to counter the FBI's. He would use Romano's recklessness and the Drummond family's resources to test Li Shanze's bottom line and understand the FBI's layout.

What he needs to do is not to help Romano "calm the crisis", but to ensure that he can stand on the side of the ultimate winner in this power struggle.

He needed perfect timing, a moment to defect that would allow him to gain the greatest reward at the lowest cost.

The timing cannot be too early, otherwise Romano will fail too easily and his role will be underestimated.

But the timing cannot be too late. If it is too late, the Drummond family may have been completely defeated, causing him to lose his usefulness.

Or the FBI has completely taken control of the situation and no longer needs any external "help". At that time, even if Vikram Chandrasekhar switches sides, he will only be a vassal who adds icing on the cake and will not be able to share the core cake.

The timing was perfect, Vikram believed, and this time he and Marco Giuseppe Romano would join forces to visit the outskirts of Philadelphia.

He and Romano, two wizards, faced off against Theodore Lancaster and Cyrus Morton, two wizards who, on paper at least, seemed evenly matched.

On the other end of the phone, a relieved Romano said in a relaxed tone, "It's very simple. As long as we work together, it will be effortless to deal with Theodore Lancaster and Cyrus Morton."

"We just need to take our people to the set of the now-defunct Amish and eliminate all the conspirators who dare to stand in our way. That's enough."

Vikram listened to Romano's arrogant and contemptuous tone and cursed him in his heart as an idiot.

This idiot not only didn't understand who the enemy was, but also completely ignored the enemy - if he failed so easily and foolishly, then wouldn't my value be completely unreliable?

But Vikram's tone didn't reveal anything, instead his brows were slightly furrowed, as if he was thinking extremely complicatedly.

He pondered for a moment, his tone carrying just the right amount of worry and consideration. "But the Amish crew is Cyrus Morton's territory, after all. He's been running it for years, so it's probably not that simple. Do we need a more detailed investigation? For example, the arrangement of those witchcraft circles, and those FBI..."

He deliberately emphasized the words "magic circle" and "FBI" in an attempt to attract Romano's attention.

He not only wanted to appear to be thoughtful and considerate, but also to make Romano feel that he was a reliable ally rather than a pawn who would only blindly obey.

He was also implicitly reminding Romano, trying to slow down the arrogant Italian's failure, at least to hold out until he stabbed him, right?

However, Romano's confidence was extraordinary.

He laughed heartily, his tone filled with disdain. "Vikram, you're still too cautious. Those so-called witchcraft circles are vulnerable in the face of true power."

"Don't forget, I'm a wizard from the Delusion Society, and I'm particularly good at dealing with wizards." Romano said meaningfully.

"Cyrus Morton and Theodore Lancaster are just rats in the gutter. If I hadn't caught them, they might have caused some trouble, but now that I've found them—haha."

These words contained both confidence and a warning to Vikram.

Damn it, you guys in the Delusion Society are the rats in the gutter. You normally don’t dare to reveal your identity, and you’re the only one like a fool who’s afraid that others don’t know!

Are you really so confident? Just go and deal with them by yourself. Why do you want to drag me along?

Vikram Chandrasekhar was so angry that he cursed in his heart.

"Marco, you're right." Vikram's voice sounded even more respectful, as if impressed by Romano's courage. "I was inconsiderate. Since you have such a plan, let's proceed according to yours. I have gathered the men and are ready to go at any time."

"Very good, Vikram!" Romano was obviously very satisfied with Vikram's obedience. "We will meet in Philadelphia and then go straight to the Amish set in the suburbs. Let's go!"

Romano said with great enthusiasm.

"As you wish, Marco." Vikram hung up the phone, and the submissiveness on his face instantly disappeared, replaced by an indescribable sinister and mocking look. He walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window and overlooked the brightly lit city below.

He just hoped that Romano wouldn't fail too quickly - how could such a fool be a match for Li Shanze?

Although he had only met him once, Vikram Chandrasekhar had a very high opinion of Li Shanze.

Author's Note: Thanks to Yunduangaota, Shi Aji, and Xiaopingguo112633 for their recommendations.

322 Perfect Preparation

Romano was wearing a well-tailored Italian suit, with sunglasses covering most of his face, but they couldn't hide the confident, almost arrogant curve at the corner of his mouth.

Behind Romano followed a group of elite mercenaries in black uniforms, as well as several equally restrained wizards. They were the "support" of the Drummond family called upon by Romano, and were also one of his real trump cards on this trip.

"Huh, that Vikram kid is really as cautious as a mouse." Looking at Vikram, Romano sneered in his heart.

Romano knew Cyrus Morton was no good, and he knew even more clearly that the Amish crew's territory was not as simple as it seemed. He acted carefree just to paralyze Vikram and make him think that he was a fool who only acted recklessly.

In fact, Marco Giuseppe Romano, as a wizard who dared to openly claim to be a member of the Delusional Society, was careless on the surface, but in fact his caution and preparation were far beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

The reason why he dared to attack Huanglong so confidently was because he had done enough homework for this "hunt".

Romano's two imaginary enemies, Theodore Lancaster is a senior wizard in the field of alchemy, and Cyrus Morton is a famous genius. Few people know which type of witchcraft he is good at, but Romano still knows that he is a guy who is good at fighting against mental spells.

Romano's mind raced through the special abilities of his two hypothetical enemies. The ancient texts inherited from his school contained countless countermeasures to various schools of sorcery.

The seemingly ordinary black suit he was wearing was actually made at great expense by the family's top rune master.

Every inch of the suit's fabric was secretly inlaid with a complex protective array woven from mithril threads, which could effectively resist physical impacts, elemental attacks, and even interfere with spells that attempted to invade his mental realm.

On the ring finger of his left hand, he wore an inconspicuous obsidian ring, which contained an ancient "mind barrier" spell, which was enough to withstand the most powerful mental shock and also rebound some of the mental backlash.

His tie clip contains a miniature rune that can release a brief "light of clarity" at a critical moment, dispelling any illusions and causing mental backlash to the caster.

In addition, he also had a pistol hidden inside his belt. The bullets were engraved with deconstruction runes targeting alchemy, which were enough to penetrate the magical connection of any alchemical product.

These were preparations for Theodore Lancaster, the master alchemist.

As for Cyrus Morton, according to the existing information, he is at least very good at plant magic.

Therefore, Romano specially prepared several "herbicide" capsules. Once he encountered a defense or puppet constructed by plant-based witchcraft, he only needed to throw the capsule lightly to instantly disintegrate the internal witchcraft structure.

Not only that, Romano also prepared a big gift for Cyrus Morton.

Do you think you can rest easy just because you can avoid mental spells?

A hint of disdain flashed in Romano's eyes.

He knew that Morton's famous battle was achieved by avoiding some kind of brainwashing witchcraft, but the witchcraft of the Delusion Society was never limited to direct mental attacks.

He prepared several special illusions that did not act directly on the mind, but rather distorted the perception of reality, creating illusions that were enough to break even the most resilient hearts.