Mystery: Gray Walker

Chapter 13 Transactions, Rewards, and Costs

When the young girl Lillian specifically mentioned the "Crimson Order" and Clarice, the dark expressions of the people at the table changed noticeably. Their gazes toward Grimm became more focused, less dismissive, and more calculating and inquisitive.

Grimm knew about the Crimson Order. But who was Clarice, the one she mentioned? Had she been noticed? Was she also from the Garden of Blossoms?

On the other side of the long table, an elegant gentleman who had been quietly sipping his amber-colored wine put down his wine glass.

"Mr. Morris, allow me to add something. You may not realize how delicate your situation is. The city guards and those... well, rather rude 'father worshippers' are looking for you like crazy. They've turned the dock area and the lower city upside down."

He smiled slightly, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "But you're lucky. Someone—let's assume the Night's Watch is concealing your presence—hasn't found you yet."

Green was horrified, but he maintained a calm expression.

William Vanderbilt was a Republican, yet he helped the Unity Party. His death could indeed have prompted the government's City Guard to suppress the news and launch a major investigation, but the Scarlet Order's high-profile actions indicated that William's death was more significant than he had imagined.

Green looked at the elegant man and spoke calmly:

"If what you say is true, then my luck hasn't been too bad lately. However,"

He changed the subject, his gaze first sweeping over Lillian before finally looking at everyone, "I don't know this Clarice you're talking about."

"Don't you recognize me?"

Ms. Martha, seated at the head of the table, uttered a question. Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, she covered her mouth with a knowing chuckle, her chest heaving, a hint of mockery in her eyes.

"Oh? Darling, then you might have seen... a white cat?"

A white cat?!

The word struck Green like a thunderbolt. He was worried about how to find out the whereabouts of the white cat, but he never expected to hear it from this woman who seemed to be a cult member!

Everyone smiled at Green's reaction; it seemed Lillian was right, it was him.

Green took a deep breath, knowing that denying it at this point was pointless; the other party at least didn't seem to have any ill intentions, so he chose a relatively honest answer:

"A white cat... Yes, I've seen it. It appeared when I was in trouble, but then mysteriously disappeared. What's its relationship with this Clarisse you're talking about?"

Ms. Martha exchanged a knowing glance with the elegant gentleman, her smile deepening as if she had witnessed something quite amusing.

The lady's lips curved slightly, and she gracefully raised her hand, gently gesturing towards an empty seat next to the long table.

"Please sit down, Mr. Morris. It is not proper for a guest to talk while standing."

As she finished speaking, a faint rustling sound suddenly came from the lush green grass next to the empty space.

The next moment, several dark green vines with tender buds broke through the soil and grew wildly, intertwined and entwined at a speed visible to the naked eye. As if they had a life of their own, they automatically wove themselves into a simple and elegant high-backed chair in just a few breaths.

A miraculous scene unfolded before his eyes, deeply shocking Green. It was both a display of power and a silent deterrent.

"Thanks."

With a "what's done is done" attitude, Green remained calm and walked to the chair as instructed, sitting down steadily.

After he took his seat, an even smaller and more exquisite chair was woven into the space next to him. Lillian twirled gracefully and landed perfectly in the chair, resting her chin on her hand and smiling as she looked at Green.

"very good."

As Ms. Martha watched his compliant behavior, her smile deepened.

She gently stroked the wriggling vine and said slowly:

"Clarice is that white cat, or rather, one of the forms she's willing to show you. Although our Garden of Prosperity and the Night's Watch... well, our ideologies differ, and sometimes even clash, we occasionally... cross paths."

She paused, then looked at Green, "Or rather, we're concerned about certain shared 'troubles,' such as the 'Scarlet Order.'"

An elegant gentleman took over the conversation, his voice gentle:

"Clarice helped you, which means the Night's Watch believes you have some value. But how long that value will last depends on your next choice."

He leaned forward slightly, gazing at Green:

"Now, Mr. Morris, perhaps you can tell us what you saw that night at the Vanderbilt's... right next to that poor fellow? That will determine whether we see you as a 'seed' worth cultivating, or... trouble that needs to be cleared away."

All eyes were once again on Green, and the pressure instantly intensified.

He unconsciously straightened his collar, which wasn't actually messy. Facing these extraordinary individuals, he knew that if he couldn't give a satisfactory answer today, he might stay here forever.

Green took a deep breath and, in the simplest of words possible, recounted how he received the phone call that night, met the white cat Clarice, went to William's house, and finally interrupted the ceremony in the attic, as well as William's loss of control.

He omitted the role of the Messenger of Silence, focusing instead on speculations drawn from the William's Diary regarding Thomas's extraordinary talent, political coercion, and the fact that the whole affair was likely a carefully orchestrated "directed degeneration" by the Scarlet Order.

Ms. Martha, seated at the head of the table, exchanged a glance with the elegant gentleman beside her, who nodded slightly.

Martha looked at Green again, a smile of pity mixed with arrogance on her face.

"A brilliant deduction, Mr. Morris."

She clapped her hands gently. "You're quite intelligent. I like smart people."

Martha abruptly changed the subject, her tone becoming flat, even slightly bored:

"However, all of what you've said... about the tragedy of William Vanderbilt, about the Scarlet Order's little tricks, even their shady dealings with the Solidarity Party, we actually know all about it."

Green's heart sank.

He suddenly realized that either the other party was playing him, or that this information might not be of any value to the other party.

Ms. Martha seemed to read his mind, her red lips curving slightly:

"Relax, this is just a small test. Sincerity is always the prerequisite for trading, isn't it?"

"A deal?" Green asked.

"What else?" Ms. Martha chuckled, as if mocking his naiveté.

"We took a huge risk to bring you here. Do you think your office is safe? Clarice can't take care of you right now; she's barely able to protect herself."

"What do you mean?"

Green's heart skipped a beat. Although he knew very little about the mysterious white cat, she was currently the only clue connected to the Night's Watch and the relatively orthodox path.

"It means..."

Ms. Martha drawled, enjoying the subtle tension on Green's face. "What, are you concerned about her?"

This is a trap.

Showing too much concern would become a handle for them to use against him. Green instantly calmed down, his face regaining its usual investigator-like indifference.

"What I care about is her saying she wants to be my guide."

He stated calmly, "This is what I need."

"A guide, tsk tsk..."

Ms. Martha shook her head, a dramatic expression on her face.

"What a high-sounding disguise. In the end, aren't you just after that potion recipe that will take you to extraordinary heights?"

She leaned forward. "I can... be your guide. And the formula is available to you now. No need to wait, no need to go through the Night's Watch's tedious tests and loyalty trials. The power is at your fingertips."

Admittedly, Martha's offer was very tempting to Green. An easily obtainable potion recipe meant he could immediately begin to wield power and deal with the imminent crisis.

The air seemed to freeze. The members of the Flourishing Garden watched Green with great interest.

Green remained silent, his gaze sweeping over Ms. Martha's alluring face and then over the wriggling vines on the table.

He slowly asked, "What is the price?"

Martha's gaze swept to his waist, and she lightly tapped her finger in the air.

"Messenger of silence, relic of the Records of Revelation, you are very lucky."

Upon hearing this, Green instantly understood what the other party was planning.

"I'm sorry, I—"

"The Garden of Prosperity can not only provide you with shelter, allowing you to completely escape the entanglements of the Crimson Order and the City Guard, but also give you a 'potion' recipe that will allow you to embark on an extraordinary path, as well as corresponding initial resources."

"I refuse," Green repeated.

He knew very well that this gun was his only means of survival. Without his henchmen, he would completely lose the right to negotiate and become a sitting duck.

Ms. Martha was not surprised by his strong reaction; instead, she showed a hint of "I knew it" on her face. She leaned back lazily in her chair, her fingers entwining the living vine.

"A wise warning, but also a little short-sighted, my dear child."

She said slowly and deliberately, "Since you're reluctant to part with it... then let's find another way to trade."

She picked up the wine glass on the table and gently swirled the liquid inside.

"We happen to know some clues about the 'Records of Revelation.' We've heard that the organization's annihilation hides a great secret, and it..."

Ms. Martha looked again at Green's waist. "There might be a crucial clue hidden there. We don't need you to hand it over immediately, but we do need you to do something for us."

"What is it?" Green asked in a deep voice, knowing that the important part was coming.

"You need to infiltrate a place,"

The elegant gentleman beside Martha spoke calmly, "The Oberhafen Society of History and Archaeology, on the surface, is a gathering place for boring old scholars, but according to intelligence, it holds some documents related to the 'Records of Revelation'."

He paused, observing Green's reaction, before continuing:

"As payment, we can first give you a Sequence 9 'Assassin' potion recipe from the 'Witch' pathway."

Martha took a small sip of her drink, then put the glass down.

She stood up and walked gracefully toward Green, slowly lowering her head to look him over, her fingers gently tracing his chest.

"Of course, if you prefer money, we can pay you a sum of money enough for a year of comfortable living. Or... become my male concubine..."