Chapter Eleven: Collaboration

ICP Registration Number: Xiang B2-20100081-3
Internet Publishing Qualification Certificate: New Network Publication Certificate (Xiang) No. 11
Network Culture Business License: Wenwangwen [2010] No. 128

In the small reception room, Clementine Hodin was imparting some subtle tricks about deception and evading pursuers to Hugh.

“Deception is essentially a form of performance,” Hodin began. “You must envision yourself as an actor and draw everyone watching your act into the atmosphere you create. However, no matter how skillful the deception, a tiny flaw will inevitably slip through. There is no such thing as a flawless con in this world. The larger the con, the more vulnerabilities it tends to have.”

“So how can these flaws be avoided?” Hugh asked.

“No need to avoid them,” replied Hodin. “Let’s take a fictional story as an example. No fictional tale can be perfectly seamless; there will always be gaps that defy logic. The question is whether you conceal these gaps cleverly. If so, why do people become so captivated by fiction?”

Hugh thought for a moment and answered, “Because the story is compelling.”

“Correct!” Hodin laughed heartily and clapped his hands. “A con, like fiction, doesn’t truly rely on perfect logic. You can never construct a con or story without any inconsistencies, but that doesn’t matter. As long as your con contains something that people ardently desire, the deceived will willingly hand themselves over to be exploited. They will overlook the irrational parts of your story or the con, even going so far as to find explanations you hadn’t imagined yourself. Your job is to affirm their guesses and convince them that everything they wish to believe is true.”

Hugh nodded repeatedly, deeply impressed.

Hodin’s words struck a chord with him.

Whether it was the cons he had set on Purgatory Island or the schemes he devised after leaving, none were truly flawless. As Hodin said, a perfect con cannot exist—just like a story without any loopholes is impossible. People fall for cons because they want to believe in the deceiver.

Just like Hines and Andrew.

They longed to trust Hugh Glaire because he could bring them great profit, which made them overlook the dangers behind it and even seek reasons to trust him.

That was the key to his success.

A brilliant con lowers the target’s guard with a story as plausible as possible, then uses enough allure to make the target willingly believe in it. What follows is a grand performance.

Although Hugh had done all this before, he had never organized these insights carefully or truly understood the art of deception. Hearing this from a master swindler like Hodin suddenly gave him a moment of clarity.

At that moment, Hugh felt the atmosphere in the room was truly bizarre.

The most notorious criminals of the Lance Empire were gathered together, exchanging insights and experiences in crime, as if the entire world were their hunting ground. It was, indeed, quite absurd.

He smiled and nodded at Hodin. “Thank you very much for your guidance.”

“You’re welcome,” Hodin replied. “As one of us, I don’t mind sharing some wisdom. In fact, you’ve surprised all of us. We thought Hugh Glaire would be like Brian—a ruthless villain—but you are much closer to me.”

“Actually, I have a lot to learn,” Hugh smiled toward the elderly man nearby. “For example, your con artistry and Master Eagle Ashlyn’s prison break skills.”

If Brian Buckler was the master of escape, Clementine Hodin was the master of deception, then Eagle Ashlyn’s achievements in prison breaks were unparalleled. Four escapes from the Empire’s harshest prisons earned him reverence from all.

As for Hugh Glaire himself, he might be considered a master of escape and counterattack. No one had ever fiercely retaliated against their pursuers as he had during his flight.

At that moment, Eagle Ashlyn cleared his throat softly and said slowly, “Perhaps we should bring the topic back to why you’re here.”

“I believe I’ve already answered that,” Hugh smiled at Hodin.

Hodin nodded. “You want to deal with an agent from the Imperial Investigation Bureau?”

“An old bloodhound named Rashel. He seems troublesome, and I want to deal with him before he becomes a threat. But before that, I want to learn as much as possible about the Bureau and how to respond to them. I’m not familiar with their investigation methods, which means I might make some arrogant mistakes while evading pursuit and attacks. I want to prepare in advance. When I came to the Bilias Mountains, I encountered an ambush by Reyler and his men, and I realized this was an opportunity. To my knowledge, this place is home to the Empire’s finest criminal talents. So I came seeking cooperation.”

The three in the reception room exchanged glances.

Brian Buckler, who had remained silent, finally spoke, “What can you bring us?”

Hearing this, Hugh smiled.

It was like a customer playing with an item in a shop and asking, “How much is this?”—a sign he was already inclined to buy.

Clearly, Buckler was interested in the deal.

After a moment, Hugh said slowly, “The Empire has branded me a murderer, but I want to tell you that I am an alchemist. What I can offer you is something even the Empire’s nobility and the emperor cannot provide.”

With that, he opened a small wooden box he carried with him.

Inside were forty bottles of top-grade potions.

Buckler glanced at Ashlyn.

The necromancer Ashlyn stepped forward, casually picking up a bottle, uncorking it to sniff, then visibly moved. “Top-grade?”

Buckler and Hodin leapt to their feet.

Top-grade potions were rare even in the Lance Empire, and here Hugh Glaire had brought forty at once.

Who was this youth, and how did he pull off such a grand gesture?

Greed filled Buckler’s eyes as his powerful aura surged outward like a mountain rushing toward Hugh.

Hugh smirked coldly.

Suddenly, the room’s air stilled without wind, and the summoned wind elements gathered at Hugh’s soft call, forming a faint mist that enveloped everyone present.

The wind elements solidified into a form—the image of a wind spirit appeared. At the same time, two fiery phoenixes emitted angry shrieks, their forms growing larger with each piercing cry.

Hugh’s cold expression remained unchanged as he murmured, “In the name of the elements of heaven and earth, grant us protection from evil... Conservation Barrier!”

A halo of light appeared around Hugh—the level-four spatial magic Conservation Barrier.

Beside him, Ashlyn waved his right hand, pulling a small bone staff inlaid with a fierce skull from beneath his robe.

Buckler moved, immediately understanding his leader’s intent.

But just as he began chanting, a strange energy wave suddenly rippled through Hugh’s arms.

The necromancer Ashlyn was horrified to see a spatial rift open beside him, slicing his bone staff in two.

Then a black shadow darted out from Hugh’s arms...

Simultaneously, the two fiery phoenixes unleashed blazing flames toward Buckler...

“Oh!” Buckler screamed, retracting his aura. The white light of his fighting energy surged against the fire, splitting the flames apart. The raging fire was pushed aside, blackening the entire room.

The wind spirit let out a furious shriek and transformed into a whirlwind, spiraling around its master and enveloping Hugh.

The next moment, Hugh coldly uttered a phrase charged with fighting spirit: “Gale Strike!”

His longsword pierced the whirlwind, aiming at Buckler. His form flickered, elusive and unpredictable.

Buckler immediately grew cautious, hesitating to attack.

The two fiery phoenixes circled above Hugh’s head, locking their gaze on Buckler, waiting for any sign of movement.

Ashlyn, meanwhile, had not moved since his staff was severed.

In front of him, a small black dog growled low and angrily.

This necromancer had keen danger instincts and realized immediately that any move might make this small dog his last nightmare. Though powerful, Ashlyn had made no battle preparations and now had no chance to use his magic, held in check by a mere black dog.

Hodin shouted in alarm, “Don’t be rash! We mean no harm.”

He was the only one in the room without combat capability and hadn’t expected that after Ashlyn confirmed the potions’ quality, all three would simultaneously prepare to attack—and that Hugh Glaire seemed well prepared.

Moreover, his strength was far greater than anyone anticipated.

“Stop! Everyone, stop!” Buckler shouted.

Hugh’s Gale Strike had shocked Buckler like never before.

He had never imagined this youth to be so strong—able to summon elemental spirits into a protective whirlwind granting exceptional mobility, while maximizing his samurai combat skills.

If that were all, it would be impressive enough, but Hugh also wielded spatial magic—a level-four Conservation Barrier sufficient to mitigate significant damage from a high-level samurai. With the two fiery phoenixes in play as well, Buckler doubted he could easily handle this combined force.

Though three against one, Buckler felt as if a whole army was arrayed against him.

Despite not witnessing Hugh’s full assault, the swirling whirlwind and unpredictable movement made Buckler realize this was a nimble, agile samurai style combined with mysterious magic and powerful beasts—he had no confidence in victory.

Buckler didn’t believe Hugh could fatally harm him—a marine samurai was no easy opponent—but he worried for Ashlyn and Hodin.

With Hugh’s displayed prowess, the likely outcome was Buckler killing Hugh but Ashlyn and Hodin suffering inevitable losses.

Killing an agile samurai was no simple task, especially one who was also an alchemist, which implied endurance in battle. That was only the surface; who knew what other tricks he had up his sleeve?

So Buckler called a halt immediately.

He had lost the desire to seize or plunder.

The youth’s power chilled him to the bone.

As Buckler shouted to stop, the swirling whirlwind circled him once more.

Hugh did not thrust his sword forward; instead, a voice carried on the wind, melodious and drifting: “Boss Buckler, doing business with you really is nerve-wracking.”

Buckler’s face showed no shame. “Now you can rest assured. I, Brian Buckler, leader of the Wild Wolf Gang, solemnly tell you that you now have the right to sit here and discuss future business with us. That is, if you still have need of us.”

The wind ceased.

The wind spirit gradually dissipated into the air, revealing Hugh’s figure.

A smile played across his face.

The tense atmosphere in the room slowly eased.

Though neither side had truly attacked, Hugh was sure that if he had hesitated even a moment, Buckler’s assault would have rained down like a storm.

He had to be grateful for his prior preparations; otherwise, facing a level-seven marine samurai’s full strength, he doubted he could withstand even a few blows.

Even a level-four spatial Conservation Barrier might not hold against a marine samurai’s relentless strikes.

Buckler was unaware that his own Conservation Barrier’s power was limited.

Dealing with desperados in business was undeniably dangerous. Some always hoped for high returns from high risks, but more often than not, they suffered high risks with no returns.

In the past, many reckless merchants came to Thorn Town proposing cooperation with Buckler. His immediate response was to strip them bare, throw them outside town, and tell them their survival was their entire payment.

Rabbits and lions don’t negotiate on equal terms.

But now, Hugh was certain he had changed their thinking.

Bandits were born scoundrels; their only creed was: “If you can’t beat them, join them.”

If cooperation was impossible, their only choice was to run.

“So now, I have the right to demand an equal dialogue?” Hugh asked with a smile.

Buckler, Hodin, and Ashlyn exchanged looks. Buckler nodded toward Hodin, signaling him to take charge.

Hodin looked at Hugh: “Speak. What sort of cooperation do you want?”

“First, I need your experience dealing with the Imperial Investigation Bureau—that much you already know,” Hugh began.

“Additionally, I need your information channels. Don’t tell me you don’t have any—I know you have contacts outside. Whenever the Empire’s forces try to encircle you, outsiders warn you so you can react in time. In exchange, you provide them with high-quality spoils. I need your help to find out exactly who is pursuing me, their specific details—who they are, everything. The more detailed, the better.”

“Why do you want to know that?” Hodin and Buckler looked puzzled.

Hugh smiled faintly. “Unlike you, this is a war for me. As long as they don’t stop hunting me, I won’t stop fighting back. So I must learn everything about my enemies before I can eliminate them.”

Buckler and the others were dumbfounded. “My god, you really are mad.”

Hugh shrugged. “Who here hasn’t been called mad? We’ve come this far because of our madness. I intend to keep going mad.”

Buckler nodded gently. “You’re right, Hugh Glaire, but that doesn’t mean you can run wild here.”

“On the contrary, what I seek here is a peaceful space.”

“A peaceful space?”

“Yes, a small additional request, nothing too important.”

“Speak.”

“Simple. You know no alchemist works without a lab. I need a decent laboratory for my experiments.”

“We can provide such a place,” Buckler said.

“I need an absolutely secret and secure lab where no one will disturb me.”

“The Bilias Mountains have no shortage of hidden valleys.”

“Also, it must have a water source and farmland. I plan to grow some vegetables and fruits for self-sufficiency.”

“Alchemists’ quirks never cease to amaze.”

“The most important is absolute privacy. You must guarantee that without my permission, no one—not even you—may enter my territory. In return, I will annually provide you with some of my alchemical products. What do you think?”

Everyone fell into thought.

Hugh glanced at the broken bone staff before Eagle Ashlyn.

He casually said, “I think you need a better staff.”

Ashlyn was moved.

Hugh then turned to Buckler. “Maybe you’d like to enhance your weapons with some superior magic.”

Buckler’s nerves twitched.

Finally, Hugh looked at Hodin, offering no further conditions, only a sweet smile: “Perhaps we’ll get along well.”

“Yes,” Hodin smiled.

Buckler made his decision.

“Very well, Hugh Glaire, you are indeed a skilled negotiator, and your generosity impressive. I accept your terms. Hodin, tell him about the place.”

Hodin said, “Deep in the mountains, there’s an area surrounded by holly forests, very secret and secure. There’s a clearing and a waterfall. Only four people know of it. We once planned to use it as our last refuge.”

A triumphant smile spread across Hugh’s face. “Looks like you’ll need to find another last refuge.”