Chapter Thirty-Nine: Sleepless Night (3)

Three men stood silently before Dawkins’s corpse on Fourteenth Avenue.

The man in the lead wore a suit of fiery red armor. He was tall and slender, his upper lip adorned with a Clark Gable-style mustache, and a wicked smile always played at the corners of his mouth.

To his left stood a warrior clad in silver armor. He was handsome and appeared slightly younger than the man in the center, yet his face was stern, his tightly pressed lips betraying a hint of suppressed anger.

To the right of the man in red stood an old man in purple mage robes, observing the corpse with similar gravity. Compared to the former purple-robed archmage Abrit, this old man appeared far more opulent. His purple robes were crafted from the finest silk, and he wore three dazzling gemstones on the thumb, index, and middle fingers of his left hand—a blood-veined gem, an aquamarine, and an ice-soul stone—with a turquoise ring on the middle finger of his right hand.

He carried no staff, but on the palm of his left hand was etched a peculiar sigil, likely a component of a magic array, bearing a resemblance to magical runes.

As the three men gazed at Dawkins’s body and then at Idanoll’s bandage-wrapped eyes, they displayed three distinct emotions: the red-armored warrior was mocking, the silver-armored warrior was enraged, and the purple-robed mage appeared solemn and cautious.

After observing for a long time, the red-armored warrior let out a tsk of admiration:

"I must say, our little friend is truly skilled at using schemes and tricks. Look at all this; it could be written into textbooks as a classic case study of anti-tracking."

"Kevin, you bear an inescapable responsibility for this," the silver-armored warrior, Garrick Ingston, said with some dissatisfaction. "It was your procrastination that caused our delay."

"Forget it," the purple-robed archmage, Lier Boger, waved his left hand. "Our arrival wouldn't have changed anything in this regard. I am certain this kid had multiple contingency plans. Huey Geller overheard news of our movements, which is why he appeared here. Had we arrived sooner, he likely would have simply pulled out another plan to kill his target. Judging by the way he killed Dawkins, his goal was merely to leave us something behind through a battle. It could have been a potion, or some item accidentally dropped during the fight. In any case, before we discovered his plot, as long as we intended to use time-reversal magic to trace his past, we were bound to fall into his trap. And worst of all, he used a special method to warn us all; I fear that from now on, we will be unable to use this reconnaissance method on him again."

At this, the old mage muttered, "Perhaps that was his true goal all along."

Kevin Billis, the Sky Warrior with the handsome mustache, chuckled softly. "And what does that matter? A few pieces of trash have died. If the opponent is too weak, wouldn't it be quite boring?"

This remark left all the participants of the hunt standing nearby feeling deeply ashamed.

Chucklay lowered his head and whispered to Lasher, "You were right. I am starting to hope these guys get their heads smashed in by Huey Geller."

His voice was very soft, but at that moment, Kevin Billis’s ears twitched as if he had caught some information. He turned his head abruptly and glanced at Chucklay.

That gaze was like a needle, piercing deep into Chucklay’s heart.

Chucklay’s spirit trembled, and Kevin Billis moved. He left his spot instantly, darting toward Chucklay like a bolt of lightning, leaving a red blur in the air. Chucklay was alarmed and retreated while channeling his battle qi, but Kevin Billis was faster. With a shrill whistle of wind, he landed a heavy blow on Chucklay’s golden armor.

Chucklay spat out a mouthful of blood and swung his sword in a rage, unleashing several "Blade of Fury" strikes at the empty space in front of him before retreating again. The fiery red figure twisted through the blades like a nimble fish, let out a soft "Huh," and quickly returned to his original position.

These exchanges happened in the blink of an eye. Kevin Billis’s speed was so incredible that the visual afterimages had not yet faded before he finished his attack.

Standing beside Dawkins’s corpse, Kevin Billis’s mustache twitched as he revealed a thick, mocking smile. "Chucklay, your skills have improved quite a bit. It seems you’ve had a breakthrough in your cultivation."

Chucklay clutched his chest, gasping for breath, before finally nodding. "Lord Billis, many things have happened recently. It has given me new insights into power. Unfortunately, in front of you, I remain fragile and weak."

"That is hardly surprising," Kevin Billis shrugged.

As a Sky Warrior, Kevin Billis was not only superior to Chucklay in raw power, but more importantly, he was far above him in cultivation level. Like Brian Chuckler, Kevin Billis was a rare individual who reached the ninth level in both battle qi and cultivation. It was this strength that gave him an overwhelming advantage even in battles against peers. Kevin Billis was particularly adept at speed; those who fought him were doomed if they could not block his fast and bizarre attacks from the very beginning.

To capture Huey Geller, Strik VI had placed a heavy bet. Huey might be able to handle one Ocean Warrior and five level-six warriors, and might even be fearless against an additional Earth Warrior, but all of them combined might not equal a single Kevin Billis. Furthermore, he was accompanied by two equally powerful partners: Sky Warrior Garrick Ingston and the purple-robed archmage Lier Boger.

Faced with such a luxurious lineup, even Lasher wanted to know how Huey intended to cope.

A detective from the Legal Affairs Department rushed over from nearby.

He knelt before the great figures and cried out, "We found him..."

"Where is he?" Lier Boger asked in a deep voice.

"The Central Plaza."

Kevin Billis and the others looked at each other, their eyes filled with surprise.

Garrick Ingston asked, "What is he doing there?"

To this simple question, the detective wore a bitter expression. "I don't know how to say it. You lords had better see for yourselves."

—Central Plaza.

This was the largest plaza in Royo City, located in the busiest and most prosperous city center.

Since he had already exposed the fact that he was prepared, Huey no longer needed to pretend to break out of the city, so he had turned back.

However, it was different from before...

Huey and his pets stood on the open ground of the Central Plaza. Within a hundred meters around them, thousands of Legal Affairs detectives, city guards, summoned warriors, and even some city defense troops had surrounded the plaza completely.

But no one dared to approach.

Beneath Huey’s feet was etched a peculiar magic array, its center shimmering with waves of red energy. Even the most amateur observer could sense the immense power surging through it.

No one knew what it was, but Huey’s confident expression told everyone clearly that the result of this array would not be pleasant.

Today, Huey Geller had fully demonstrated to most the power and terror of an alchemist.

When Kevin Billis and Lasher arrived, Lasher recognized the array at Huey’s feet immediately: "It's a teleportation array."

"Not just a teleportation array," the alchemist Deem added. "There is another array on the outer perimeter. When the teleportation array activates, the massive energy gathering will cause a violent fluctuation in the surrounding magic elements, which can trigger other arrays. I don't know what kind of auxiliary array he has set up, but I am certain it must be a highly offensive one."

"In other words, when we rush in to catch him, he only needs to activate the array to leave, and what awaits us will be an indiscriminate, high-intensity magical attack, while he himself will have escaped without any harm. Is that it?" Kevin Billis’s face turned grim as he looked at Deem.

Deem swallowed hard. "Yes, my lord. I don't think there is a better explanation."

"Damn bastard," the great figures roared in anger.

As if in response to their rage, Huey in the distance chuckled. He raised his voice: "More great figures have arrived. These must be Lord Kevin Billis, Lord Garrick Ingston, and Lord Lier Boger, right? Unfortunately, it seems we won't have the chance to fight, because I am leaving. As you can see, I came, and I went, and you, the hounds chasing at my heels, are destined to return disappointed tonight."

Huey’s laughter was unrestrained and arrogant, ruthlessly mocking the warriors hunting him, which made everyone’s faces quite ugly.

"If that’s the case, why are you still here?" Lasher asked.

Huey shrugged. "There's always a reason, isn't there?"

Lasher was about to say more, but to his surprise, a large hand landed on his shoulder. "Lasher, return to your post. From now on, we are in command here."

It was Kevin Billis who spoke.

A flash of anger crossed Lasher’s face. "Lord Kevin Billis, perhaps I should remind you that I am the commander of Operation Rat Hunt."

"If that's the case," Kevin Billis pointed to the rat puppet beside Huey, "that rat belongs to you, and Huey Geller belongs to me. How about that?"

"You!"

Kevin Billis’s face darkened. "Huey Geller is not a rat; he is a terrifying magical beast. Pursuing him will bring us harm. When have you ever seen a rat bite two of our mages to death?"

Lasher nodded. "I understand. Lord Billis, you are right. I leave this to you. I will follow your instructions." Lasher said as he stepped back.

"Very good," Kevin Billis nodded with satisfaction.

At the back of the crowd, Chucklay whispered to Lasher, "I thought you would find a way to deal with him."

Lasher replied in a low voice, "No, on the contrary, that is exactly my goal."

"What do you mean?"

"We have already failed in this operation," Lasher answered. "I don't think we can do anything to Huey Geller now. Since someone is willing to take the blame for me, that is the best-case scenario."

"Ah." Chucklay suddenly realized. This cunning old fox—he had intended all along to let these big shots take the lead.

"Are you sure Huey Geller still has a trump card?" he asked.

Lasher replied softly, "If he wanted to leave, he could have left long ago. This kid never does anything meaningless, does he?"

"That’s true," Chucklay nodded. For safety reasons, Chucklay also did not want Huey to fall into the hands of Kevin and the others just like that.

Sure enough, as Lasher had predicted, Huey in the distance slowly raised his right hand, revealing three fingers. "Three. I came today to resolve three troubles. I am glad I have already resolved two, and now, I have one target left."

A confident tone and powerful killing intent radiated from the boy, chilling everyone present.

Everyone felt a deep sense of dread toward this terrifying youth and his bizarre methods of killing. So much so that when Huey said he had one more person to kill, everyone instinctively took a step back.

Huey did not look like a fugitive being hunted; rather, those hunting him had become the targets of his hunt.

"Huey Geller, perhaps we can talk," Kevin Billis walked forward a few steps. "I am here under the orders of His Majesty the Emperor. I mean, it doesn't have to be war between us; we could have peace."

Huey replied coldly, "Lord Kevin Billis, I know your Shadow Attack technique is powerful, and your speed is very fast, but I suggest you don't take another step forward. Trust me, your speed will not be faster than my activation of the array."

Kevin stopped helplessly and spread his hands. "Fine, since you don't trust me, perhaps you should trust someone else. Remember the little Princess? She asked me to bring you some words. I think you might be interested in hearing them."

"Lord Kevin Billis, I have heard of your reputation. If Avril wanted to send me a message, it would never be through you. You are a dirty, vile person, and the stench you emit is enough to drive away all women within ten miles. Take one more step, and I will activate the array."

As he spoke, he walked a few steps on the energy waves created by the array, as if strolling on calm water, creating ripples. In the sky, the Flamebirds had already raised their sharp beaks, and that undead rat puppet had erected its whip-like tail toward Kevin Billis.

Facing an opponent who was prepared, Kevin Billis glared at Huey and retreated helplessly.

"Who else do you intend to kill?" asked the other Sky Warrior, Garrick Ingston, clad in silver armor.

"You will know in a while. Before I kill, I will give you some time to think about how to deal with me," Huey replied nonchalantly.

A flush appeared on the face of Sky Warrior Garrick Ingston, a sign of extreme anger.

No one had ever been so arrogant in front of them before.

Garrick Ingston whispered to Deem, "Do you have a way to neutralize that array?"

"Not without getting close to it."

"Then there is no way."

Lier Boger, the purple-robed archmage on the side, whispered, "Billis, stand in front of me to cover me. Ingston, keep him talking. I will get this kid off the array."

The reason why mages were considered more noble than warriors, besides being fewer in number and rarer, was that magic was not solely for combat. Especially in certain special situations, the role magic could play was far greater than battle qi.

At this moment, Lier Boger stood behind Kevin Billis, using his large frame to shield himself, and began to chant a spell. A finger on his right hand suddenly extended like a vine, reaching into the ground until it disappeared from sight.

Nature magic could be said to be the most magical and mysterious of all arts. What Lier Boger specialized in was the branch of Transformation within nature magic. High-level transformation magic could change the shape of one’s body parts, taking on the characteristics of animals, plants, and other life forms, and even utilizing their functions.

The spell Lier Boger was using now was the "Entangling Thorns" from the transformation branch—a binding spell.

The thorns generated from his finger, under the cover of Kevin Billis and the others, passed through the surface of the plaza and went underground, extending toward Huey Geller like vines growing rapidly in the soil.

Meanwhile, Ingston kept Huey occupied with perfect timing.

"Huey Geller, I suggest you reconsider Kevin's offer. The Empire doesn't necessarily have to kill you; your alchemy is very useful to the Empire. Why can't we choose cooperation?"

Huey sneered, "Cooperation? Rabbits and tigers do not have the power to cooperate as equals. I destroyed Purgatory Island and killed Haynes; I don't believe you would be so generous as to let bygones be bygones. I prefer to believe that when I lay down my resistance, you will take everything I have, and then force me to work for you with whips and blades. I will lose my freedom, lose everything, and that is the 'cooperation' you choose."

"Then what will make you trust us?"

"Instead of making me trust you, it’s better that you trust me. Want to cooperate with me? It's simple: stop the hunt. From now on, I, Huey Geller, should be free to walk on this land. If the Lance Empire needs something, fine, send someone to negotiate with me. You pay to buy it."

"This is absurd!" Ingston shouted. "Everything you possess belongs to the Empire!"

"Look, that is the crux of the problem. This is the only way I can accept peace, yet you want me to hand everything over for nothing. I think we have many battles to fight before we reach a consensus. Until one day when I fall, or I make the Strik royal family see how powerful I am, forcing them to accept my conditions. But I don't guarantee that I won't have new demands by then."

"Why can't there be a compromise? For example, we pay half the price, and you provide us with the manufacturing technology for teleportation arrays and spatial items."

"You have quite an appetite."

"That was researched using the Empire's resources in the first place."

"Without me, you wouldn't have researched it even in a hundred years."

"But you cannot deny the Empire's contribution because of that."

"Then, does your so-called contribution include my innocent companions who died?"

"..."

"..."

The negotiation slowly descended into bickering. Neither Huey Geller nor Garrick Ingston had any real intention of negotiating sincerely, yet both made gestures hoping for peace.

This created a strange atmosphere in the plaza. A Sky Warrior was openly making a deal with a nation-wide fugitive, even discussing the price of the transaction, leaving all onlookers stunned.

The whole thing sounded like Huey Geller had robbed the Lance Empire and was now demanding a ransom from them to buy back their own things, while also forbidding them from pursuing him.

This made everyone look at the golden-haired youth with extra fear.

No one had ever dared to do such a thing.

This also caused them to overlook the calculation of schemes and tricks hidden behind the superficial gentleness of both sides.

Lier Boger’s Entangling Thorns had passed under the array Huey had set up, growing out from behind Huey, revealing a small segment of green vine that looked like a small sapling growing behind him.

Facing the peak powerhouses right in front of him, Huey Geller clearly focused all his attention on them, not daring to look back.

No one could look around while facing two Sky Warriors and a level-six archmage.

The vine gradually detached from the ground, growing taller and taller, until it was level with Huey.

Its barbed tip, as if it had eyes, gently wrapped around Huey’s waist.

From the moment the conversation started, Lasher had been watching Huey with a serious expression.

He noticed that Huey’s face was always filled with a confident smile.

For some reason, he had a sense of déjà vu about Huey Geller, as if this wasn't the first time he had met him, but that he had met him somewhere else and was as familiar as an old friend of many years.

He had an inexplicable feeling from the bottom of his heart that everything happening now was still under Huey Geller’s control.

What was he waiting for?

Lasher didn't quite understand.

He noticed that Huey’s gaze suddenly lingered on him.

In his sharp eyes, there was a hint of a smile.

It was an appreciation for his wise decision to step down from command.

This realization made Lasher shudder.

Chucklay noticed Lasher’s condition and whispered, "What’s wrong with you?"

"This bastard has been observing me; I almost thought he wanted to kill me!" Lasher said in a low voice. "But now it seems he is reminding me of something."

"That’s impossible."

"No, it is. He seems to be giving me an answer; he is telling me who the third person he wants to kill is."

"Who?"

"Don't rush. Let’s think, Chucklay, think carefully. Although I can't think of anyone else here who could pose a threat to him. Noll is blind, Dawkins is dead; the people who could really threaten his movements no longer exist. Who else does he want to kill? And he even wanted me to withdraw from commanding this encirclement. What exactly does he want to do?"

"Maybe he wants to kill Deem?" Chucklay glanced at the alchemist not far away. At this moment, he was searching everywhere for the alchemical traps Huey Geller might have set up.

"No." Watching Huey’s eyes, Lasher’s face suddenly lit up. "Absolutely not. I think we missed a key point."

"What?" Chucklay was stunned.

Lasher looked at Chucklay. "We forgot one thing: Huey Geller is not afraid of us finding him. He wasn't afraid from the beginning, otherwise, he wouldn't have had to show himself."

"Yes, but so what?"

"This means what he truly cares about is not necessarily our reconnaissance capability. Because for him, this is a declaration of war. Since it is a declaration of war, there must be a battle! If I were Huey Geller, the person I truly wanted to kill might not be Noll and Dawkins; they might just be a smokescreen to make us believe he only uses schemes to deal with us, to make us believe everything he did was just to escape better. But the fact is, that is not his goal. He wants to kill us! So, among everyone here, who is the biggest threat to him?"

Chucklay was stunned. "The one with the highest combat power. My god, are you saying he wants to kill Billis, Ingston, and Boger?"

"Exactly." Lasher looked at the three big figures standing closest to Huey and muttered, "The people he wants to kill are not us. Our men were just bait to lure Kevin and the others out. Otherwise, he could have finished us off at the tower. He enjoys this hunting game and wants it to continue—isn't that his personality? That is why he wanted me to live, why he left a glimmer of hope at the tower, and why he wanted me to step down from command, because the ones he really wants to kill are Kevin and the others... they are the true targets. And today, Huey Geller will kill at least one."

"That's impossible! As soon as Huey Geller steps out of the teleportation array, any one of them could finish him off! What can he rely on to fight Kevin and the others?" Chucklay whispered.

At this moment, behind Huey Geller, the vine had silently wrapped around Huey’s waist like a nimble snake. With just a turn or two, it could pull him out of the teleportation array when he wasn't paying attention.

A triumphant light appeared in Lier Boger’s eyes.

Lasher stared at all this, stunned, and suddenly said, "Chucklay, between two Sky Warriors and one level-six mage, if you had to choose, which one would you kill first?"

Chucklay answered without hesitation, "The mage. A Sky Warrior plus a level-six mage is far stronger than a combination of two Sky Warriors."

Lasher’s face darkened slightly. "Then what if he has a way to fight Boger one-on-one and has made preparations beforehand?"

"Then it’s hard to say. Boger is likely dead," Chucklay blurted out.

A mysterious smile appeared on Lasher’s face.

He finally understood what Huey Geller’s plan was.

Even Chucklay realized something. "You mean... My god, you aren't going to warn them?"

"Don't be a fool, Chucklay. Huey Geller is helping us. Someone has to take the blame for tonight's events. It's better if one of them dies; their responsibility will be even more inescapable."

As he spoke, Lasher looked at Huey Geller. He bowed to Huey from afar and made a strange gesture. The two unexpectedly exchanged an appreciative glance. Then Lasher and Chucklay stood far back and said no more.

Huey Geller, who had been arguing endlessly with Ingston, saw Lasher’s gesture, and his smile deepened. Lasher had indeed understood his intention.

So he laughed aloud:

"Sincerity is the basis of peace talks. Unfortunately, your sincerity is not enough. So, I will continue my next step... to resolve the third trouble."

Ingston was stunned and hadn't reacted yet when the red energy waves under Huey’s feet suddenly swirled wildly, and a light as intense as a fiery sun rose above the array.

The light enveloped Huey Geller, sparks crackling over his entire body. One of the sparks traveled around Huey and followed the vine that had already wrapped around him, plunging directly into the ground. It darted through the earth like a lightning dragon, devouring the level-six archmage Lier Boger, who was just about to pull Huey out of the teleportation array.

"No!" The two Sky Warriors felt a sense of doom and shouted wildly.

Kevin Billis reacted the fastest, lunging at Lier Boger behind him.

Just as he was about to touch Boger, the figure suddenly disappeared, and Billis’s hand passed through the afterimage left behind.

He grabbed nothing.

BOOM!

A violent explosion sounded behind them.

The teleportation array where Huey had stood released a powerful wave of energy, sweeping in all directions.

It was like a rising morning sun, illuminating the entire sky in an instant.