Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One: The Puppeteer

As Gray Hill’s words fell, silence suddenly enveloped the surroundings. The eyes of the attendees focused intently on the box before him—some eyes were eager, some filled with desire, others filled with confusion and anxiety…

Could this secret transmission truly teach people how to control dreams and enter the Dream Realm? Was there a chance of obtaining hidden knowledge within the Dream Realm?

To be honest, the “Dream Explorer’s Record” offered by Gray Hill stirred the hearts of most present. They were all mysterious seekers, connectors to the hidden world, eager for more secret knowledge to find the true path to the extraordinary.

But… 500 pounds was simply too expensive…

One must know that a standalone house in the suburbs of Igewent costs approximately 300 pounds; for 500 pounds, one could buy a fully furnished standalone house with a garden.

Was this the price of knowledge?!

Gray Hill’s price immediately stumped the majority of attendees. Although those present had some economic means, they were not all nobility or wealthy. Most previous transaction amounts had been under 100 pounds, and now Gray Hill suddenly demanded 500 pounds. Many couldn’t afford it, and even if they could, they had to seriously consider whether it was worth exchanging so much money for a secret transmission. After all, it only taught how to enter the Dream Realm; whether one could gain anything in it remained a complete unknown.

Thus, this was an uncertain investment, and even those capable of affording it hesitated.

Such things could only be purchased by truly wealthy individuals…

At this moment, most of the gathered gazes focused on a gentleman wearing a mask. His codename was “Shepherd,” and those who had long attended the gatherings knew he was a big spender.

Feeling the numerous gazes converge on him, he grasped his cane and spoke slowly.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Gray Hill. Although this secret transmission is indeed enticing, it also implies additional poison recognition. I haven’t yet mastered the previous secret transmission I purchased. If I force myself to practice a new one without considering the pollution from the poison recognition, I fear I might lose control due to the accumulation of toxins…”

Looking at Gray Hill at the head of the table, the gentleman expressed slight regret. Upon hearing this, Gray Hill silently nodded, then scanned the attendees. Seeing no one stepping forward with a bid, he raised his hand.

“Since that’s the case, today’s gathering shall—”

“Um, please, wait a moment—”

Suddenly, a youthful and sharp voice echoed through the venue. Hearing this voice, everyone turned simultaneously to see a small figure with their hand raised.

This sight caused shock among the attendees.

What on earth? That shape, that voice—wasn’t this a child? How could a child attend such a gathering?

“Mr. Gray Hill, I want to trade, um, trade for your secret transmission!” In a higher pitch, Dorothy emphasized her voice to sound even more childish as she addressed Gray Hill.

“Where did this little brat come from? How did you sneak in? Hurry up and get out!” At that moment, a masked servant beside Gray Hill shouted at Dorothy. Initially, they thought Dorothy might just be a normal person who was a bit shorter but did not realize she was a genuine minor.

Just as the masked servant was about to take action, Gray Hill waved his hand, stopping them.

Then, in the midst of the puzzled gazes, Gray Hill slowly began to speak.

“Regardless of who it is, as long as she is seated at this table, she is a member of this gathering and has the qualification to participate in the transaction…” Gray Hill said calmly. Hearing his words, the servant preparing to act stepped back, and Gray Hill turned his gaze concealed behind the stone mask back to Dorothy.

“Then, little girl, you say you want to trade for my secret transmission, but do you have 500 pounds?”

“I’m s-sorry, Mr. Gray Hill, I don’t have that much money, but I have items we can exchange!” Dorothy feigned in a childlike voice, trying harder to appear younger.

“Items? You mean… something of equivalent value to this secret transmission?”

“Yes, just look at this…”

At this moment, Dorothy pulled out a small cloth bag from beneath her robe and placed it on the table. Opening the bag revealed a glass vial filled with dark red liquid, inside which floated two pale severed fingers.

As Dorothy presented the vial on the table, the atmosphere froze. Gray Hill leaned slightly forward, and the attendees who had been preparing to watch Dorothy’s embarrassment now held their breath, realizing that this little girl was not making a joke.

“This, this is… um… let me see…”

After pulling out the vial, Dorothy acted as if she wanted to say something but forgot, scratching her head, then pulled out a piece of paper from her cloak and began to read.

“This contains spiritual limbs created through a ritual. The two fingers within are infused with an abundant spirit of ‘Cup.’ If consumed entirely, one can make a significant leap on the path to the extraordinary. A bit more extraction of ‘Cup’ spirit can also fulfill the spiritual accumulation to become a ‘Thirster’…”

Having finished reading the note, Dorothy looked around and noticed that the environment was now utterly silent, with countless gazes fixated on the glass vial before her, filled with eager greed—this desire was even stronger than when they looked at the secret transmission earlier!

It was spirituality! High-concentration spiritual items! Compared to all sorts of miscellaneous things, just consuming this directly would improve one’s self! It drastically reduced the distance to becoming a true Extraordinary Being!

A sense of desire spread throughout the gathering, and if not for Gray Hill being present, someone might have charged forward to snatch Dorothy’s vial. Amidst the greed, two pairs of eyes, however, were filled with malice.

These two gazes were not fixed on Dorothy’s vial but on her person…

The atmosphere of the gathering grew tense. With Dorothy presenting her item, a wordless anxiety lingered in everyone’s heart. After staring at the contents of the vial for a moment, Gray Hill slowly spoke.

“Little girl… do you understand what would happen if you openly sold something that originally belonged to the Crimson Eucharist in this city? Do you dare to sell it?”

The Crimson Eucharist…

Upon hearing Gray Hill’s words, a collective gasp escaped the mouths of all present. The greedy gazes disappeared, and once they understood the original owner of the item, no one dared to think of mischief.

In fact, after realizing that what Dorothy had brought belonged to the Crimson Eucharist, those attendees sitting beside her instinctively shifted their seats, wanting to distance themselves from Dorothy.

Meanwhile, Dorothy continued speaking with an innocent tone.

“Ah, Crimson Eucharist? What is that? I don’t know… but…”

She then paused to act thoughtfully and took another look at the note in her hand before saying,

“However, even though I don’t know what the Crimson Eucharist is, I believe Mr. Gray Hill certainly wouldn’t mind, so as long as Mr. Gray Hill dares to accept it, I dare to sell!”

As soon as Dorothy said this, the venue fell into silence. After a moment, Gray Hill suddenly burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahaha… You dare to sell if I dare to accept?… Well said, little girl! Who taught you that just now?”

Upon hearing Gray Hill’s words, Dorothy pretended to be startled and quickly hid the note behind her back, then hastily replied.

“N-no one taught me! I said it myself!”

“Hehe… Alright, alright… you said it… you said it…”

Watching Dorothy’s reaction, Gray Hill chuckled, then signaled to a servant beside him. The servant immediately brought the box in front of Gray Hill to Dorothy and retrieved the vial in front of her.

“The transaction is established. Little girl, you can take the item with you, but I advise you, don’t come to such places again, even if someone offers you a large sum of money, don’t come. Money can’t buy a life…” As he spoke, Gray Hill waved his hand, standing up from his seat as he announced.

“The gathering is dismissed…”

…

With Gray Hill announcing the end of the gathering, the attendees rose, bowing to him before gradually leaving the venue. Dorothy also embraced the box containing the secret transmission as she ascended the stairs, exiting the basement. Yet among the crowd, two pairs of eyes continued to fixate on her every move.

Passing through the wooden door, Dorothy entered the Darkwater Alley, swiftly glancing around before running in a specific direction. Behind her, two figures trailed at a distance.

Still cloaked, Dorothy ran through the city’s alleys, zigzagging forward, while the two figures followed her like shadows.

As she ran, the corners of Dorothy’s mouth beneath her mask curved slightly.

‘They’ve already followed me, haven’t they, servants of the Eucharist…’

While thinking this, Dorothy quietly took out the secret transmission hidden in the box, concealing it within her cloak. After turning another corner, she entered a dim alley, where a figure stood with their back turned.

Approaching the back of this figure, Dorothy paused briefly. When her pursuers arrived, she raised the empty box in her hand and said in a naive voice.

“Sir! I’ve completed everything you arranged! The items I bought are here! Please take a look!”

As Dorothy called out, the figure slowly turned, revealing their face.

Deep-set eyes, a hooked nose, a pale and emaciated visage, dressed in a crimson suit with a top hat, leaning on a cane—an image of a gentleman, eyes chilling.

This was Edric Grandy, Dorothy’s Zombie Puppet…