Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 356 - 68: Before the Curtain Rises_1

Chapter 356: Chapter 68: Before the Curtain Rises_1

On the black-painted carriage, the large windows were wide open, allowing the cold winter night wind to pour into the compartment, dissipating the stuffiness within. From the open window, a pale left hand rested on the window frame. Long fingernails had been evenly painted deep purple, an eerie color set off by the snow-white skin, inexplicably gave a ghostly feel.

The carriage stopped by the roadside, behind it were parked a few smaller carriages. The door of one of the carriages opened, and a cloaked figure with a masked face jumped off, quick to run to the foremost carriage’s window, and handed a stack of red papers to the pale hand. Two slender fingers gently pinched the stack of bright red invitations, retracting them back into the carriage and casually flipping through them.

"So these are the invitations." Indulgence, curled up beside Passion on the carriage seat, watched Passion flip through the red invitations in her hand. Tinkling a lock of hair entwined around Passion, she said in a cat-like lazy demeanor, "Let me see them when you’re done."

"Smack." Passion slapped away Indulgence’s meddling hand, shoved the red invitations into Indulgence’s hand before propping up her chin on the window frame with her hand and asked hesitantly, "Are we really going?"

"At this point, do we still have a chance to turn back?" Indulgence tossed the invitation aside, leaning her head in a more comfortable position. "Things are no longer under our control, even if we don’t go, nothing will change."

Passion furrowed her beautiful eyebrows and pondered aloud, "Is the news confirmed?"

"Yes, Curiosity has already infiltrated the meeting place covertly, Cruelty is en route, Madness is preparing to set off, and Suspicion... is missing." Indulgence, in charge of external intelligence within the Shadow Hand, replied. Although it was external, her internal sources were equally well-informed, "Everyone has decided to stage the decisive battle here. Even if we wanted to pull out, they probably wouldn’t allow us."

"What about Elegance?" Passion asked, "Is Elegance’s whereabouts still uncertain?"

"No one even knows the real appearance of Elegance." Indulgence shook her head, which made Passion pinch her face in a peculiar way before conceding, "No one can trace him unless he allows it. From what it seems, apparently he does not."

"Phew." Passion took a deep breath, "Is it confirmed? Joseph’s living supplies over the past two months?"

"There is definite evidence pointing to the underground." Indulgence suddenly sat up, lowering her voice, "So it can be confirmed, he is the one providing supplies to those cultists."

"So whoever he turns to after he breaks free from Suspicion’s control will become the target of everyone’s attack." Passion rested her chin on her fingers and looked through the carriage window at the towering Crown Casino in the distance, "What if he pretends to turn to us?"

"That’s why you’ve already prepared a contingency plan." Indulgence gestured downwards with her finger, and faintly smiled, "That’s when we’ll rely on our adventurous buddies."

Speaking of friends, both Passion and Indulgence had peculiar looks on their faces. To them, the term was quite unfamiliar.

"I hope they won’t hate us for using them." Passion sighed bitterly, "For so many years, this is the first time we’ve met people who truly consider us friends, it feels pretty strange. But I’m afraid this strange feeling will never occur again after this."

"Ha ha, my dear, you actually still have a conscience." Indulgence approached Passion, rubbed her cheek against Passion’s, and said, "Don’t be so pessimistic. Despite us using them, we didn’t mean any harm, right? Besides, with her straightforward character, she might not even realise what’s going on."

"You think Pannis is a fool? I don’t believe that with his experience he wouldn’t see through it." Passion retorted, "Don’t forget that during a meeting a while ago, Thorn President specifically mentioned that Pannis is mysterious and that we should not provoke him."

"He was referring to you, my dear." Indulgence snickered, "It’s just a word of caution for you to stay away from him."

Passion glared at Indulgence, but in the end, she sighed, "Nevermind, for people like us, having friends is always impossible. We’ve come this far, it’s already too late for regrets. Since everyone has decided to put their bets in, let’s join the game, let’s not keep them waiting."

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"Some people think they are hunters, while others are prey," Suspicion spoke in a sewer filled with luminescent light, "But in times of complex chaos, anyone can become prey. Indulgence and Passion are single-handedly escalating the situation, attempting to be hunters, but they don’t realize that for the two of them combined, the other five have long wanted to ally up and eliminate them. At least, Cruelty and Curiosity have both contacted me, seeking to use this opportunity to take them out."

"They must know about it." Pannis laughed noncommittally, "If they didn’t, they wouldn’t have set up Catherine and the rest as contingency measures."

"Insurance policy?" Catherine was taken aback, asking, "Are you saying that they commissioned us to help investigate the cult, just so they could have a card up their sleeve?"

"Evidently so." Pannis shrugged and casually said, "Since they don’t care who the traitor is, nor do they care about the live sacrifices of the cultists, but still asked us for help, excluding the possibility of it being for show, there’s only this explanation. As long as you really find clues about the cultists, it’s equivalent to giving them a card to play. From this, it can be seen that your statement from a couple of days ago, that nobody cares about the traitor and the cult, is questionable. Since they firmly believe this can be their trump card, it proves there is at least someone within us who cares about this and can change their stance because of this information. Otherwise, they can’t rely on Catherine and Vivian, two foreign Gold Rangers, to play the role of a trump card amongst you several Legendary Thieves."

"Perhaps." Suspicion replied indifferently, "This has nothing to do with me. I don’t want to know."

"So, you still think the potential losers could be Passion and Indulgence?" Pannis asked.

"Of course not, even without you as a card, it’s hard for them to lose." Contrary to what he said earlier, Suspicion denied straightaway, "Why are these two the strongest? Because they can unite when others can’t. So this time, the remaining five people joining forces against them is a joke, who does not have their own plans?"

"No wonder you came down." Pannis nodded in understanding, "Now I get it."

"Huh?" Suspicion raised his eyebrow, "You actually guessed it?"

"Yes, I guessed it." Pannis smiled meaningfully, "You came down this time, but your intent was not to seek refuge. In fact, you directly followed Catherine and the rest, didn’t you?"

"Haha." Catherine suddenly let out an odd laugh, commenting, "I can’t believe Vivian and I have become such hot targets. I get it, Suspicion, you followed us, also to add a layer of insurance for yourself. You don’t want to share the cake, but you are making an appearance in a different way. Appearing with us shows that you stand on the side of Passion and Indulgence, thus preventing you from being mistakenly attacked by them—this must be a condition to gain their temporary trust."

"Yes." After a long silence, Suspicion finally replied in a muffled voice, "Everyone is preparing, so how can I not be prepared? What do you think, since you’ve guessed it already and both of you combined are not to be underestimated, I won’t hide it from you. So, how about we cooperate?"

"How to cooperate?" Pannis asked, "We don’t know any specific details. How can we cooperate?"

"Passion and Indulgence are your employers, right? I can fully stand on their side in this incident. If you’re angry about them using you, I can help you retaliate against them afterward." Suspicion’s mouth curled into a smile, like a devil tempting people into depravity, "And what you need to do is to admit that you were able to successfully complete the task with my help when needed."

"Firstly, this is the truth. Even if we don’t cooperate, we won’t lie. You’ve helped and even saved us, and we’ll only state the facts." Catherine said earnestly, "Secondly, they did exploit me which upset me, but being hired is inherently being used, so I don’t need to retaliate against them. Thirdly, you came to find me on the lower levels, which indicates your intention was initially to stand on their side, it is just a matter of whether you are still wavering. Therefore, your proposal for cooperation is unnecessary and there’s no need for my agreement."

"Catherine, don’t rationalize his thoughts with yours." Pannis pulled Catherine behind him and said to Suspicion, "We can cooperate, but how can we ensure both parties fulfill their promises?"

Suspicion eyeing Pannis, then staring at Catherine for a minute, suddenly turned around and continued forward, saying in a dull voice, "There’s no need. She’s right."

"Huh?" Pannis quickly stepped aside, surprised, "Are you really Suspicion?"

"I just doubt everything, I’m not an idiot." Suspicion chuckled, "Why shouldn’t I believe what she’s saying? So, since it’s like this, there’s no point in proposing this cooperation. Conversely, you, despite there being no need for cooperation, you still agree, what’s your motive?"

"Huh?" Pannis slapped his forehead in frustration, grumbling, "Muir, can you beat him up for me? I really can’t stand this guy’s distrustful nature."

"You do it yourself." Muir, who had been fiddling with his Flaron Harp, said without looking up, "Why call for me?"

"I can’t beat him." Pannis said confidently, "I have to ask for help of course."

Muir twitched the corner of his mouth and looked at Pannis disdainfully, "I can’t be bothered."

(To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for a recommendation or a monthly pass at the starting point (). Your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile phone users please go to m. to read.)