Chapter 275

Carrying the carbide lamp and following Lu Mian for a few steps, "Giant" Simon noticed a contradiction in the other's statement:

"Charles, the boss already knows you've become a 'Pyromaniac', so it's unlikely he would sacrifice you casually."

Lu Mian looked ahead at the tunnel illuminated by the yellowish light and, without turning back, asked with a smile:

"How long have I joined the Savard Party?"

"Giant" Simon and "Rat" Cristos both suddenly realized and accepted this explanation.

A Beyonder with a somewhat questionable background who had only recently joined the gang and brought his own main potion materials was indeed not so trustworthy and needed to be tested by mission after mission.

And if he died in the mission, it could only be counted as his bad luck. Losing such an external Beyonder was far less painful for the boss than the death of a painstakingly cultivated subordinate.

The two Savard Party leaders no longer hesitated and, with a basic sense of precaution, followed Lu Mian to his left and right, lagging two to three steps behind him, just like when they usually went out, there were always a few gang thugs in similar positions behind them.

During this process, "Giant" Simon put on his gloves, applied a small amount of "Scorpion Poison" to his short knife, military dagger, and brass knuckles, and returned the potion bottle to Lu Mian.

The three of them continued downward along the tunnel marked on the map. Although their footsteps were very light, due to the special environment, they still echoed quietly in the dark, deathly silent underground.

Nearly three-quarters of an hour passed, and they passed through the area marked as an ancient tomb and arrived at the entrance of the secret passage.

This was a quarry cavity that had been abandoned for a long time. The ground was uneven, moss grew in the surroundings, and in the distance was the sound of an underground river flowing. From time to time, the clanking sound of the steam subway passing by came from diagonally above.

Lu Mian made a brief observation, bit the handle of the carbide lamp, grabbed the protrusions on the side stone wall with both hands, and climbed up to the place near the cave ceiling.

Then, he stretched out his right hand, pressed against the junction of the side wall and the cave ceiling, and pushed a seemingly normal stone toward the back.

A pitch-black hole immediately appeared there, allowing a tall human like Simon to crawl through while bending over.

This secret tunnel was modified from a ventilation system that existed in the nearby quarry but had long been damaged.

The three of them, in a posture of bending their waists and walking with small steps, bypassed the passage toward the deeper underground. Gradually, they could no longer hear the flowing of the underground river, nor could they sense the movement of the steam subway.

Except for their breathing and footsteps, everything was silent, like a deathly silent tomb.

Another nearly two-quarters of an hour passed, and Lu Mian and the others, according to the map's markings, jumped from an exit into a rock cave that had originally existed underground.

Stalactites hung down from the high places here, as if a terrifying monster in the dark depths had opened its mouth and revealed its teeth.

Lu Mian didn't rush to turn into another secret tunnel at the bottom of the rock cave but turned his body sideways and looked at "Giant" Simon and "Rat" Cristos, who had more or less dust on their bodies and heads, and said with a serious expression:

"Let's determine some things first, to avoid unexpected situations where we don't have time to communicate."

"Okay." Whether it was "Rat" Cristos or "Giant" Simon, they both felt it was natural for Lu Mian to say such things.

Lu Mian nodded lightly and said:

"One, from entering the second tunnel until returning here, no one is allowed to speak. Try to use body language to hint. If it's really not possible, you must obtain my consent before speaking."

This was a precaution expanded from Gardner Martin's instruction that one could not have verbal communication with the trader. Lu Mian amplified the scope and absolute nature of the instruction to avoid possible accidents.

Cristos and Simon both remembered the boss's instructions and nodded one after another, accepting this restriction.

Seeing this, Lu Mian continued:

"Two, no matter what abnormality occurs, unless something directly attacks you, stay calm and take action according to my reaction.

"Three, I don't force it, but if you want to survive, it's best to listen to my command."

These two requirements made "Rat" Cristos and "Giant" Simon quite resistant, because this meant they were entrusting their safety to Lu Mian's brain, ability, reaction, and insight. For wild Beyonders accustomed to relying on themselves, it was obviously not very comfortable.

Hesitating for a few seconds and thinking of Charles's strength and previous performances, "Rat" Cristos forced a smile:

"I will listen to your arrangements, but if you don't react and Taffy gives me a danger warning, then I will also take action myself.

"Damn it, the longer I do smuggling business, the more afraid I am of Trier's underground."

"Giant" Simon also followed up:

"I'm the same as 'Rat'."

Being able to "tame" two Beyonders who were also leaders of the Savard Party to this extent, Lu Mian was already quite satisfied and didn't force it, nodding and saying:

"No problem.

"Four, I will go to contact the trader later and take the box the boss wants from his hands."

Hearing this, "Rat" Cristos and "Giant" Simon both looked at Lu Mian with eyes that were re-evaluating Charles.

They had thought this "Pyromaniac" would use his advantage in strength and status to assign one of them to contact the trader and take on the most dangerous part of the mission, or suggest drawing lots while acting as the host. Who knew he would take the initiative to go and receive the box himself.

Charles is actually quite fair in doing things... "Giant" Simon couldn't help but sigh.

If it were him, he definitely couldn't do it.

This made him and "Rat" Cristos no longer as resistant to following Lu Mian's command as they were just now.

Although the lighting wasn't bright, Lu Mian still saw the reactions of his two colleagues.

He couldn't help but sneer in his heart:

"If it weren't for the fact that you are both Beyonders lacking occult knowledge and might cause some problems when handing over the box, why would I take the risk myself?"

This made Lu Mian sincerely sigh that sometimes, being weak is also an advantage.

After emphasizing again that they couldn't speak, he carried the carbide lamp, turned around, and walked to the bottom of the rock cave, signaling "Giant" Simon to hold a stone half a person high and move it to the side.

That stone was very heavy, and even with Simon's strength, it was difficult. It took quite a while to move it away, revealing the deep entrance of the secret tunnel.

This tunnel wasn't very long. The three of them only spent seven or eight minutes bending over to finish walking and arrived at a mine cave that had basically collapsed, leaving only a little space.

This was their destination, the Albert Mine Cave.

Lu Mian looked at the messy, layered gray-black stones a few times, turned his head to look at "Giant" Simon, who was wearing a black formal suit, and pointed to his chest.

Simon understood his meaning, took out an iron-gray pocket watch, and snapped it open.

The dial exposed a large number of interlocking gears, possessing a mechanical beauty that was both precise and cold.

"Giant" Simon held the pocket watch and showed it to Lu Mian and "Rat" Cristos, letting them know that the current distance to the transaction time, which was twelve o'clock sharp, was still more than ten minutes.

Lu Mian nodded, remained silent, and patiently waited.

After waiting for a while, he tilted his head slightly and listened to the movement around him.

He felt there were strange sounds underground, like a large number of people screaming, roaring, and fighting there.

With the light of the carbide lamp, Lu Mian looked at Simon and Cristos and found that they also had similar reactions, seemingly hearing those movements too.

Seeing Simon and Cristos looking back at him, Lu Mian made a gesture of pressing his right hand down, telling them not to be affected.

Amidst the strange movements that came from time to time, the three stood at the edge of the Albert Mine Cave, waiting silently.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps rang out on the other side of the mine cave, as if someone was walking toward this side along the unusually quiet tunnel, wearing leather shoes, dozens of meters away.

That trader? Lu Mian cast his gaze toward the opposite side thoughtfully.

The sound of footsteps paused from time to time and then continued, echoing in the Albert Mine Cave.

When it was only a few meters away from the Albert Mine Cave, it disappeared strangely, disappearing completely.

After waiting for a while, Lu Mian and the others saw a figure appear at the other entrance of the mine cave. It was a male over one meter eighty tall, wearing a white shirt, yellow vest, black formal suit, and dark trousers, holding a small brown leather suitcase in his hand.

The man wore a half-high silk top hat, and the brim was pressed very low, casting some shadows on his face. But with a "Hunter's" vision, Lu Mian still saw his appearance clearly with the light of the three carbide lamps:

Brownish-red short hair, brownish-red eyes, a circle of slightly messy and dense whiskers, and relatively thick eyebrows, just like a male bear that had been hungry for a long time and was thin to an exaggerated degree.

The collar of his shirt was tied very tightly, giving people a feeling of being afraid of the cold.

Lu Mian carried the carbide lamp and was about to walk toward this man.

At this time, Cristos pulled his arm.

When Lu Mian turned his head to look, he pointed to his right pocket with an anxious and fearful expression.

Does that mean the strange rat called Taffy gave a danger warning? But looking at Cristos's performance, the danger shouldn't have truly erupted yet and was still within a controllable range, otherwise he would have already turned and run away... Lu Mian interpreted this and nodded to Cristos, indicating that he would pay attention and be careful.

Cristos didn't stop him, looking at him walking toward the trader with slight worry.

During the process of closing the distance, Lu Mian's gaze constantly examined the man's body, analyzing every detail:

The clothes are a bit too big, seemingly not fitting well... He seems to be afraid of something, but also full of anger and hatred... Both of his hands are not extended out of the sleeves, hidden inside, including the handle of the suitcase... His feet...

Lu Mian's pupils suddenly dilated. He saw that the trader's feet were not wearing shoes, just wearing a pair of gray socks.

This completely contradicted the sound of leather shoes walking that they had just heard!

Could it be that the sound wasn't made by him, but came from someone else? Lu Mian became increasingly vigilant and guarded.

The remaining space in the Albert Mine Cave wasn't large, and he soon arrived in front of the trader.

The man like a hungry bear laughed and asked:

"Gardner Martin sent you, right?

"Is he scared out of his wits? The companion who was sent underground to find that Fourth Era Trier entrance suddenly sent information after disappearing for several months, saying there was an important item to hand over to him."

(End of chapter)