Baator Hell Promotion

"Without a human guarantee, we will not accept non-humans." When Jane and Ann saw this sign for the fifth time, they were numb. It was autumn, and even by dwarf standards, Ann was still a little girl. She couldn't withstand the night breeze at the seaside.

Looking at the dwarf wrapping his cape tighter and tighter, Hopper weighed the pros and cons and decided he couldn't just abandon Ann just yet. Jane Flash's identity couldn't be lost over such a trivial matter.

"I know a place where I can definitely find accommodation." She looked around and already knew where she was. However, she still had to pretend that she was unfamiliar with the city. "Do you know where Sheriff's Square is?"

"Are you sure there's someone here who'll take us in?" An asked cautiously. This place was at the edge of Sheriff's Square, part of the Shady District Market. A row of artisan houses lined the roadside, warm light and the aroma of baking grains streaming through the windows.

As Jane led her up the stairs, Ann smelled a bitter fragrance, probably some kind of herb.

"Aunt Kaji wrote to me saying that the shop owner here is very willing to help the Stone Clan." The older dwarf lied without blushing or beating his heart, and knocked on the door in a pretentious manner.

"Ms. Hopper, you finally..." An anxious girl opened the door. When she saw the two dwarfs outside, her expression quickly turned dissatisfied. "Who are you! You've come to the wrong place! You should go to the Wave District to find Ms. Hearthheart!"

Hopper was also startled by her. She had thought that her room was empty, so who was this girl? She put her hand on the door panel to stop the girl from closing it. The girl tried to slam the door shut, but found that the door did not budge.

"What do you want! If you don't let go, I'll call the sheriff." The girl lowered her head in panic, looked around, and growled at the dwarf.

"Then why didn't you scream?" The dwarf not only didn't let go, but instead pushed hard, causing the girl to stumble back. "What are you afraid of?"

Jane took Ann into the house, which didn't seem to have changed much. However, she noticed that the shelf where the medicines were originally stored was much emptier.

"How dare you break into Ms. Hopper's house! Robber!" The girl covered her chest with her hands. She had just experienced the dwarf's tremendous strength, and now she only dared to accuse him verbally.

"Aunt Kaji told me that Ms. Hopper is a very kind, beautiful and generous long-legged person. I came to ask her to allow us to stay overnight." Hopper praised himself without shame. "Who are you? Why are you in Ms. Hopper's house? Where is Ms. Hopper?"

In fact, after mentioning Kaji Shinso, Hopper already remembered who this girl was. Wasn't she the maid standing next to the chubby Mrs. Palmer when Kaji Shinso came to the store to buy tonics on the first day?

"Who I am has nothing to do with you!" Although the maid's face was still cold, her words had softened. "This is not my house. I don't have the right to drive you out. If you want to stay, please do as you please."

Jane winked at Ann and led her to the fireplace, where a few cushions and a blanket were already placed, indicating that the maid had been living there.

The succubus roughly guessed the reason. With him missing, Mrs. Palma probably had no place to buy tranquilizing potions anymore. She also had no way of finding out where he was, so she could only use the maid to block the door.

Jane picked up the tongs and fiddled with the dying fire to hide the green fire burning in her eyes.

"My dear lady, the night is cold and long. Why don't we sit down and talk?" Jane's voice became low, and her magical voice echoed in the room. The maid, who had just been angry, lowered her arms and her face gradually relaxed and calmed.

As the fire was reignited and the small pot hanging on the fireplace began to boil again, Jane took out the hard, dark bread from her backpack, tore it into small pieces and threw it into the pot along with some herbs she had found behind the counter.

An sniffed at the warm aroma and looked at the bubbling iron pot with anticipation. The maid, on the other hand, let down her guard and sat down on the cushion with a relaxed smile.

"I'm Jane, this is Ann, we're both little dwarfs from the countryside," Hopper said as he poured a plate of soup and handed it to the maid. After taking a sip, the maid gave Hopper an apologetic smile, even beginning to wonder how she could be so uneducated as to drive away two helpless travelers in the middle of the night.

"I'm Jenny, Mrs. Parma's personal maid." She couldn't help but take another big bite. The charming herbal aroma neutralized the greasy broth. The bread, soaked in the broth, became soft and smooth. Jenny couldn't help but stop.

"Oh, so you are from the noble Parma family." The dwarf said in surprise. "Are you sick? Why are you so anxious to wait for Ms. Hopper?"

Jenny was stunned, the answer lingering in her throat. Why didn't I answer her, the maid asked herself, she was just a country dwarf, and what I said was just a love affair, what difference would it make?

"It's Mr. Palmer," she put down the spoon and said mysteriously to the two dwarfs, "Ms. Hopper has provided my mistress with a calming potion. This potion will allow Mr. Palmer to better control his belt."

The maid gave Ann an ambiguous smile, and she turned her face away, blushing and deliberately slurping her soup. The older dwarf raised an eyebrow at her, suggesting that she continue.

"But the potion has recently run out. Mr. Palmer still thinks his prayers have restored his virility, so he goes out every night to meet his lover secretly."

"Praying for masculinity? It turns out Mr. Palmer also believes in the serpent of pleasure." Jane giggled and covered Ann's ears.

"No, silly girl," Jenny chuckled foolishly. "I've heard Mr. Palmer mention a marble god once or twice. I guess he prays to be as straight and hard as marble."

Author's words: A medieval craftsman's house was basically a small single-family house with a shop in front and a house in the back. The general price was one to two years' income for a stonemason.

Chapter 152: The Sneaky Dwarf

Hopper suddenly woke up and felt someone shouting "God of Marble" in his ear.

The fire in the fireplace had long gone out, and the pale morning light shone through the window onto the floor. She looked around, convinced that she was just being sensitive.

The maid and Ann snuggled together, curled up under a blanket, making soft breathing sounds.

Hopper relaxed. She hadn't expected to get such important information from the maid last night. After knowing the answer, she thought back and felt that every clue was so straightforward and clear.

No wonder Lord Palma was so obsessed with a lover. He was just an ordinary old man in his sixties, and when he encountered a powerful alien creature, he had almost no ability to resist. And just as he and the Inquisitor had concluded early on—there was indeed a succubus lurking among the nobles.

Now, as long as Igor knows this news, he can catch the messenger and get information from the messenger on how to unlock the bloated demon.

"Bang!" Someone pushed the wooden door open with great force. The poor door panel hit the wall and bounced back, making a huge noise.

Jenny and Ann were so frightened that they almost jumped up from the mat.

"Jenny, come with me quickly." Before the confused maid could figure out the situation, someone grabbed her wrist and dragged her out.

"You hurt me!" Jenny screamed and shook off the man's hand. Hopper had never seen this man before, but the crooked smock he was wearing had the Palma family crest printed on it - a sail and a wreath. Hopper guessed he was a Palma family guard.

"Madam asked you to go back quickly," the guard said anxiously, trying to catch her again. "Something terrible has happened. Lord Palma is dead!"

The news shocked everyone in the house. Jenny woke up completely, stumbled to her feet and grabbed the guard's hand tightly.

"What's going on?" she asked, completely ignoring the fact that there were other outsiders here.

"You know, even if he went out to meet that lady, he would be back before midnight," the guard gulped. "But he didn't come back last night. This morning, someone found him collapsed naked in the box of 'Shuangying Bakery' and ran to inform the coachman. He has been confirmed dead."

Jenny didn't say a word. She picked up her shawl, wrapped it around herself casually, and hurried away with the guards.

"Lord Palma died? And he died in a bakery?" An asked in surprise. "Why did he go to the bakery in the middle of the night? Was his lover the owner of the bakery?"

Jane didn't answer her question.

She didn't believe this was just a coincidence. The most urgent thing was to quickly meet up with the Inquisitor. She needed a smart brain to study this problem with her.

"Hey!" Ann suddenly yelled, then covered her mouth and moved closer to Jane. "I know! It must be related to that terrifying Inquisitor! He just asked us about the 'Marble King' the day before yesterday, and yesterday Miss Jenny told us that Mr. Palma believed in this god, and he died today. I'm sure it has something to do with him."

"Oh, Ann, let's go quickly and not get involved in the disputes among the nobles." Hopper put on a cowardly mask and played the role of a timid foreign dwarf. "While it's still early today, let's go quickly."

"A bit of an adventurous spirit!" An's eyes were full of eagerness. She was well protected by her mother. Faced with the bizarre death, the first thing she felt was not fear but excitement. "Let's go out and find out some news."

Jane was dragged out by her reluctantly, and soon discovered that the little dwarf was not just asking around aimlessly, but was indeed carefully observing the crowd and looking for targets.

"What are you looking for?" Jane tiptoed behind the little dwarf and asked in a soft voice.

"We're looking for our fellow tribesmen." An looked around, then pulled Jane towards the statue in the center of Sheriff's Square. "I remember what the Inquisitor said. He was looking for any Stone Clan members participating in private gatherings. He said it must be related to this 'Marble King.'"

"I don't see what this has to do with us. Let's not get involved," Jane complained, but her feet seemed to have taken root and she didn't move a step.

Ann ignored her complaints and climbed up the statue to look around. She was used to people around her giving in to her and obeying her.

"Sure enough, I knew it. Look!" She pointed to the distance where a black-haired dwarf was driving a carriage. "The sneaky Wade Brightwood, he's always against my mother and rarely opposes the nobles in the city. I bet he's up to something shady!"

"Mr. Liangmu's son is an apprentice wizard in the city. I thought you knew that," Jane replied in a bored, childish tone. "Honestly, I don't know why you are so obsessed with such dangerous things. Let's go back quickly. There is still a lot of work to be done for the Harvest Festival."

Ann jumped down from the statue and pulled Jane along, ready to follow the carriage. "I'm tired of doing Harvest Festival work. Think about it, if we can help the Inquisitor uncover these heretics, maybe we can get him to convince Lord Westerling to rescind the ban."

Hopper rolled his eyes where she couldn't see. The little girl's delusions were quite severe. If Igor had that much power, he wouldn't be left alone to eat in the guardhouse. But she still pretended to be dissatisfied and followed behind Ann. After all, it helped her maintain her persona without affecting her work.

The carriage was not moving fast, and Wade Brightwood did not seem to be in a hurry. He drove the carriage forward and backward, stopping several times to check the carriage and buy some small things from vendors until he reached the edge of Emerald Harbor.

As we know, Emerald Harbor actually stretches all the way down the mountain to the sea. Its highest point is the Everburning Lamp and the New Lighthouse District perched on a cliff. Following a steep path, you'll reach Emerald Harbor's original starting point—the Old Lighthouse District and the Twinkling Star District on the mountainside. East of the Twinkling Star District lies the city's central Mast District. From the center of the Mast District, two main roads branch off: one winds down to the bustling Wave District, the other straight up to the Shady District and the North Gate.

Wade Brightwood parked his carriage at the edge of the Shady District. Beyond it lay the sheer cliffs and the fortifications built against them. He calmly alighted outside a tavern, where a sallow-skinned employee emerged and took the reins. Judging by the dark-haired dwarf's appearance, he was a regular.

Ann seemed to be quite experienced in following others. She waited for a long time after the employees and Wade went in before standing up and calling Jane to come forward with her.

The tavern was almost half embedded in the mountain wall. From the outside, only the unassuming wooden sign that read "Collins's House" indicated its identity. When the two dwarfs pushed open the wooden door, almost all the patrons inside turned to look.

"Good day, ladies." The bartender behind the counter was a tall, muscular man with a large anchor tattooed on his arm. As he polished the cups, his ridged muscles rolled beneath the tattoo. "We don't accept children. If you need work, the tailor shop in the surf district would be more suitable."

"We're here to look for a friend," Ann answered boldly, ignoring Jane's tugging. She had been waiting for a long time, wanting to speak like an adult. "Mr. Wade Liangmu, why don't you tell me which private room he is in, and I'll go find him myself."

The bartender dropped his rag, placed his hands on the counter, and leaned down to get closer to the two dwarfs. His voice was as loud as a drum: "I repeat, no children here. I don't care who you come to see. Now, either you leave on your own, or I will ask you to leave!"

"Collins," a voice called to the bartender. Hopper looked in the direction of the voice and saw a dwarf with unkempt gray hair standing in the doorway at the other end of the room. "These two are my friends. Please let them come over."

Author's Note: The story about the maid is in Chapter 100

Chapter 153: The Giggling Club

Collins didn't bother them any further, and the drinkers who had been staring at them all turned their heads to talk about this matter. The gray-haired dwarf waved his hand to signal them to come over.

When they got closer, Hopper discovered that the door behind the dwarf led underground and seemed to lead to a wine cellar.

"Why does Aidunzi like to hide underground and do things secretly?" she muttered. This environment reminded her of the underground meeting hall in Hooping Town.

"Who are you, why are you helping us, and what's your relationship with Wade Brightwood?" Ann followed the dwarf, peppering him with questions. Jane had to hold her hand, playing the role of a caring older sister, to prevent her from tumbling down the stairs.

"My name is Rock," the dwarf answered the first question sparingly, giving a name that sounded like a code name and then stopped talking. He simply led the way.

Hopper's transformed Jane and Ann Iron Ring were both forest gnomes, meaning they couldn't see in complete darkness. Hopper had to pretend he couldn't see through the pitch-black passage, deliberately pulling Ann along as they walked slowly. Her hand remained on her bag, ready to draw her weapon at any moment.

Fortunately, the passage wasn't long. Hopper estimated that Rock led them about fifty steps before pushing open the wooden door. Candlelight and a bustle of noise poured out, as if a flock of ducks were being kept inside.

When they entered the house, they found at least twenty people crammed into what had once been a wine cellar. That might be an understatement, as there were orcs, dwarves, gnomes, and even two tieflings. But not a single "human." These strange individuals gathered around a long wooden table in the center of the room. A detailed leather map hung on a shelf. Hopper glanced at it and confirmed it depicted Emerald Harbor. A thumbtack was driven into the center of the mast area.

The moment the door was opened, everyone stopped talking and turned to look at the newcomer.

"Look, look, who's that?" Wade Liangmu, who was sitting by the door, was the first to stand up, opening his arms and waving exaggeratedly, "Jane Flash and Ann Iron Ring. What brings you here?"

"You knew we were following you?" An took two steps back to avoid his embrace and asked suspiciously, "You asked us to come here on purpose."

Liangmu lowered his arms and said with a suppressed laugh, "Dear Miss Tiehuan, if you don't want to be discovered, at least stay away from me when you are following me."

Ann folded her arms, feeling both unconvinced and helpless. She angrily accused him, "Why did you bring us here? You evil-minded Mr. Liangmu."

Her childish accusation caused a burst of cheerful laughter. Wade Liangmu didn't laugh. He looked at his two fellow tribesmen and said seriously:

"I invite you to join our society, ladies. I'm sure you saw how the Church of Perfect Humans treats non-humans at yesterday's auction. The situation is becoming increasingly dire."

"What kind of association..."

Jane stretched out her hand to interrupt Ann's question. She frowned and stared at Wade, and said seriously: "Mr. Wade, how did you know we went to the auction yesterday? Did you follow us?"

A trace of embarrassment flashed across the black-haired dwarf's face, and then he cleared his throat and said, "I didn't follow you on purpose. I just have a few friends who are more observant."

"Let's get back to the point," Wade said, becoming serious. "Please allow me to introduce you to the Chuckle Society, a group dedicated to fighting against the tyranny of the Perfect Man and his minions."

"Wait," Jane couldn't help but interrupt him, "Why is it called the Cluckling Society? Does it have any special meaning?"

The black-haired dwarf looked even more embarrassed, but he still offered an explanation: "Because the first three members of this society worshipped gods with the same pronunciation of 'ge', so... later members felt that the name was very misleading and that our enemies might look down on us because of it, so they kept it."

"I remember you disagreed with opposing the Archbishop's decree," Jane continued, "and even went so far as to argue with Madam Iron Ring over it. Why are you now inviting us to join an organization that's fighting against the Perfect One?"

"That's a good question. You can also bring my answer to your mother." Wade turned and gestured to Ann. "Just because I don't agree with Ms. Iron Ring's approach doesn't mean I agree with Eichmann's."

"Niya Iron Ring's advocacy of openly opposing perfect people is too radical and will bring trouble to the entire Bucket Town. We short people should use our expertise to beat the ankles of the long-legged people when they need to bend over and crawl under the table to catch us."

His words were echoed by the other members of the room, who nodded frequently, and one or two even clapped.

Hopper resisted the urge to hold his forehead and asked patiently, "Have you achieved anything yet? Or do you have any plans?"

Wade opened his mouth to answer, but stopped. He looked at Jane warily, his dark eyes filled with suspicion. "You're not a member yet, and you haven't been tested by us yet. I won't reveal any specific information about our operations to you."

Jane shook her head and continued to act out her timid and cowardly appearance.

"I'm from out of town and don't want to get involved in the political struggles of Emerald Harbor. But I can assure you that I'll keep it a secret."

Wade didn't seem to have much hope that she would join, and he turned eagerly to Ann Iron Ring.

Seeing everyone in the room staring at her, An stuttered as expected: "I, I don't know. I need to ask my mom."

"I've been trying to talk to Ms. Iron Ring about this lately, but every time I open my mouth she sends me packing," Wade explained. "If you could bring a message for me, that would be great. We welcome Ms. Iron Ring to join us."

Then, he waved to Panshi and said, "Please escort our guests out. They haven't joined the society yet, so they can't participate in the upcoming meeting agenda for now."

"Can you believe this, Jane?" Ann, who had been silent all the way, couldn't hold back her words as soon as they were led out of the tavern by the dwarfs. "Wade Brightwood is such a dwarf. He's actually willing to do such a dangerous thing. My mother always thought he was a coward who fawned on the powerful. Moreover, he let us out so easily. I thought he would lock us up in the dungeon if we didn't agree."

"Don't be silly, Ann," Jane responded impatiently, looking around for the postman. "Can you still go and tell on me? Even if you did, would the Church of the Perfect Man believe the words of an underage dwarf?"

Furthermore, Hopper was certain that the wine cellar had more than one exit. Perhaps the entire tavern had deep ties to the society. Archbishop Eichmann wouldn't intervene in the affairs of the Shady District without substantial evidence—Lord Monte's bad temper was well known throughout the city.

"Besides," Hopper stopped a postman and thought as he wrote, "there are at least twenty members of the Chuckle Society in the wine cellar. Counting those insiders in the tavern, it's not as ridiculous and harmless as the name suggests. The society's funding, organization, and information are not something a few hot-blooded aliens can handle. At least there needs to be a noble or a big businessman backing it up."

"Make sure to deliver the letter to him personally," Hopper instructed. "I'll give you ten copper coins first. You can tell the recipient that this letter is worth at least one silver coin."

"As for you," she turned to Ann, who had been trying to peek, and was a little tired of having such a burden, "Miss Ann Iron Ring, I think your desire for adventure has been fully satisfied. Let's go back to Hoop Town now."

Chapter 154: Bakery Apprentice

Seeing that the sun had passed its highest point, Clint took off his apron and threw it aside, then opened the back door of the bakery.

The cool autumn breeze blew towards them, dispelling the stuffy heat in the baking room. The big-bellied baker exposed his belly without caring about his image, and his thirsty throat and lips were calling for bubbling beer and cool sea breeze.

"Jane!" he yelled, and a round head popped up from the counter. "Watch the store, I'm going to deliver the goods to Balala!"