Chapter Fifty-Six: Does Your Conscience Not Ache?

Qin Jing had little affection for the Shadow Society, but the man’s words were not without merit—Qin Jing had just committed a mistake.

His first reaction upon seeing the two visitors was: here come two fat sheep, and behind them, a whole flock. So, rather than activating Alchemical Puppet No. 3, which was always hidden within the Enchanted Maze, he simply controlled the maze and let the two inside.

Of course, before doing so, Qin Jing made several preparations. He dressed Alchemical Puppet No. 1 in proper attire, and though he loosened his grip on the maze’s control, in truth, the visitors remained trapped within its illusions. The magical stones on the table were mere phantoms, and Qin Jing himself stood behind Puppet No. 1, invisible to the two ensnared in the illusion.

His only mistake was in failing to immediately display his power.

“So that’s how it is—the world of the extraordinary. With the resurgence of spiritual energy, society has, in a sense, reverted to ancient rules: survival of the fittest, the strong preying on the weak. Strip away the veneer of civility, and all that remains is raw, bloody greed.”

Qin Jing’s lament was almost poetic, but in the man’s ears, it dripped with irony. Moments before, he had thought himself powerful; now, he was but fish on the chopping block.

With a sharp crack, Alchemical Puppet No. 1 flung “Manman” to the ground. The shadow swiftly reformed into her shape, but her face was as pale as paper. The puppet’s sheer strength had torn through all of Manman’s defenses—one could say she had been violently ripped apart, bloodily and ruthlessly.

Even so, Manman fared far better than the man. She managed to prop herself up, terror-stricken, and looked to Qin Jing. “You possess such a powerful alchemical puppet!”

“Rather than worry about the level of my puppet, you’d do better to consider your current predicament,” Qin Jing replied, legs crossed and chin resting on his hand. “Now then, tell me your story. Bear in mind, my puppet is not known for its subtlety. If you speak falsely, you’ll be punished.”

Punished? More like executed!

The memory of being wholly violated by the puppet’s strength sent a shudder through Manman. “We’re from the Shadow Society. We’re third-tier core members. The Society received intelligence about Hathaway…”

According to Manman, whose full name was Lu Man, the man was Tang Peng—an extraordinary couple from Jinling and among the earliest members of the Shadow Society, each ranking in the top ten in strength. Entrusted with a heavy task, they had come to Cold Sea not only to test Qin Jing but also to probe Hathaway’s power, and even to establish a branch of the Society in the region.

“But we never expected to encounter an alchemist of your caliber,” Lu Man said with a bitter smile. “Mr. Qin, we admit our fault and are willing to compensate you. Please, show us mercy—”

Before she could finish, Qin Jing cut her off with a cold snort and a raised hand. “If the tables were turned, do you think I’d have a chance to speak?”

Lu Man fell silent at once. Tang Peng’s methods were brutal, and their intent had never been peaceful; they’d come fully prepared to kill and plunder.

After a long pause, Lu Man drew a deep breath and said, “We were wrong and submit to punishment. However, Mr. Qin, we act on behalf of the Shadow Society. You may not fear the Society, but it never hurts to have more friends. If you let us go, we will speak highly of you within the Society, forging a friendship between you and our association. Would that not be for the best?”

This woman did have some wit, gleaning Qin Jing’s intentions from his actions.

Qin Jing’s business, after all, was not that of a butcher; just as with nations, if war erupted, economic growth would vanish. However…

“A fine speech, but do you really expect to rob me and walk away free on the strength of mere words?”

Lu Man’s eyes lit up. Ignoring Qin Jing’s aggressive tone, she saw a glimmer of hope. “I am willing to offer you a Shadow Society technique in exchange for our lives.”

“A shadow technique? Useless to me.”

“I have a sleeve sword that cuts through iron like mud—an extraordinary weapon crafted by the Society from ancient designs!”

“And what need have I for such a weapon? I have no taste for bloodshed.”

Lu Man, having revealed all her secrets, found none of her offerings met with approval. These were mere trinkets for first- or second-tier extraordinaries. Anything Qin Jing had acquired from the mythic world was of the highest grade; he had no interest in such baubles.

“Perhaps you’d care to name your price?” she finally asked, forcing a wry smile.

“Don’t say I’m unreasonable. I pride myself on fairness. Since you have offended me, you must do something to please me. Make me happy, and perhaps I’ll let bygones be bygones.”

“Do something?” Lu Man ventured cautiously. “Have you any enemies? I could assassinate one for you, free of charge.”

“I’m a merchant. My business is built on goodwill and prosperity. I have no enemies.”

Lu Man nearly spat blood. Nothing seemed to suit him. What did he want?

But she dared not voice her frustration, merely lowered her head and smiled bitterly. “Please, Mr. Qin, instruct us.”

“You really are slow. A businessman most loves money, of course. Look at my wares—so many treasures. Have you not thought to buy some for yourself?”

With a gesture from Qin Jing, the items on the table before Lu Man transformed. Instead of a few small pouches, a dazzling array of goods appeared.

Lu Man stared in disbelief. “So, all we need do is buy something?”

“Of course. Every item here has been carefully selected by me—some even specially blessed.”

In an instant, the pressure Lu Man had felt evaporated. Casually, she picked up a small Prada wallet. “I’ll take this wallet. How much is it?”

“Ah, that one is specially blessed, intended for uninvited guests. The original price is twenty-eight thousand, but for you, just two hundred and eighty thousand.”

How utterly black-hearted!

Lu Man gaped, but upon reflection, it made sense. She was paying for her life, after all. The so-called merchandise was just a pretext.

Gritting her teeth, she said, “I do like Prada. I’ll buy it. Do you have a card reader?”

Qin Jing answered blandly, “Sorry, we only accept second-hand banknotes or second-hand gold.”

Lu Man replied, “I don’t have enough cash on me. If I have someone deliver it, will you let us go?”

Qin Jing pointed at the table. “Once you’ve bought everything here, I’ll be quite happy.”

Good heavens!

Lu Man looked at the table. There were few Prada bags; the rest were electronics, a used Apple phone, a speaker, even a Transformer figurine. What on earth was all this?

A sudden thought struck her, and she asked gingerly, “How much for all these?”

“Twelve items, all personally blessed by me. Each of you can buy up to six—just take the price tag and multiply by ten.”

Qin Jing spoke lightly, but Lu Man felt faint. What did he mean, ‘each can buy up to six’? Could she refuse? And why state so calmly that the price was to be multiplied by ten? Did he feel no shame at all?

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