Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 68 (Patreon)

Chapter 68: Three Days

The Ogu puppet is a rare artifact from the annals of history, which, after enduring the long passage of time, has become a precious antique.

Without Nen attached to it, this exquisite puppet would merely be considered an artifact of artistic value.

Any object that bears Nen is no ordinary item, even if it is a broken, stained bowl or dish. As long as it carries the Nen left by its predecessors, it is special.

Thus, the Ogu puppet was special until a few minutes ago, but after Luo's handling, it became ordinary.

Luo's faint regret stems from the special significance the Ogu puppet held for Elly, much like a true God's artifact imbued with restrictions and vows that he desired.

But what's done is done, and dwelling on it is futile.

At this moment, Luo no longer resists the task of protecting Elly. Originally, he had preferred to serve as Barney's bodyguard, entering the auction to detect special antiques up close.

Barney, attending the auction, would certainly not take Elly along, leaving Luo without the chance to attend.

However, since Elly shows great interest in antiques, Barney might allow her to view his acquisitions once the desired items are won.

If Luo could establish a good rapport with Elly, he might gain access to Barney's collected treasures, including those 128 items...

In short, during the time until the Yorknew auction ends, he is determined to protect Elly with all his might.

"It's fortunate to have met you," Luo said, watching Elly gently caress the Ogu puppet.

"It's not fortunate," Elly shook her head, her pale blue eyes conveying a hint of sadness and pity.

Luo had no words to offer, acknowledging the puppet's unfortunate essence. Controlled by the Ogu in life and oppressed even in death, from every aspect, it was far from fortunate, rather, it was unfortunate.

The resentment absorbed by Luo from the puppet was pure, described from an infant's perspective as a raw, unprocessed grievance.

Such untainted grievance, natural and straight as an unwavering line, was what made it terrifying.

Seeing Elly's mood dampen from his remark, Luo felt awkwardly at a loss for words.

"Elly," she suddenly looked at Luo.

"Hmm?" Luo responded, meeting her gaze.

Elly earnestly said, "I want to collect the other six Ogu puppets."

With decisive applause, Luo then gave a thumbs-up, praising, "Ambitious."

This swift support, however, only earned him a pair of dead-fish eyes from Elly, as if saying: You could be more insincere.

Catching Elly's look, Luo awkwardly retracted his thumb, changing the subject, "How about I tell you a fairy tale related to puppets?"

"Sure," Elly's eyes sparkled, almost shining with special effects.

"..."

What happened to the sad mood from before?

Luo sighed lightly and began, "Once upon a time..."

"Why does every fairy tale start with 'Once upon a time'?" Elly tilted her head.

Luo almost choked on his spit, glaring, "Do you still want to listen?"

Elly shrank her neck, replying aggrieved, "I do."

"Cough."

Regaining some control, Luo cleared his throat and continued, "Once upon a time... there was a place called Paradise..."

"Such a cliché name. If it's a story about puppets, shouldn't it be called Puppet Paradise or something?" Elly muttered.

Luo nearly choked to death on his own saliva. Is it that hard to use a fairy tale to pacify a child?

"Just tell me, do you still want to listen?"

"I do."

"Then listen quietly without speaking."

"Okay." Elly's meek response.

Finally, Luo managed to tell his fabricated puppet story.

Yet, the story seemed to become a lullaby, quickly sending the attentive Elly into slumber.

Kenda, standing quietly by the door, watched the scene on the sofa and thought it a good decision to have Luo protect the lady.

Luo's story hadn't even reached the halfway point before Elly fell asleep disrespectfully, allowing him to slip away.

As he prepared to leave Elly's room, Kenda's "Thank you" puzzled Luo.

Just before leaving, Luo noticed something different about the glass screen in Elly's room.

The decoration in Elly's room was almost identical to his, except for the circular pattern on the glass screen.

Luo felt curious but didn't dwell on it. By the time he returned to his room, it was nearly midnight.

He wanted to practice controlling his aura a bit more, but his weary body and mind wouldn't allow it, forcing him to go to bed and quickly fall into a deep sleep.

The two-day guard duty on the airship had left him with virtually no sleep, and once off the airship, the tension eased, allowing the suppressed fatigue to surge back, but now there was a chance to rest.

With three days left until the start of the Yorknew auction, Luo's assignment to Elly's side meant the auction was essentially unrelated to him.

The auction lasts ten days, and entry tickets plus the catalog of auction items cost twelve million Jenny, with admission limited to two persons maximum.

Barney would personally attend the venue, and among those accompanying him, either Kenda or Martin would be a certainty, leaving no possibility for Luo.

Kuli and the others, along with the bodyguards, were tasked with monitoring the exterior of the auction venue, guarding all entrances and exits, ready to provide protection the moment Barney left the auction site.

Although Luo had no chance to participate in the auction, he didn't mind, as his goals had shifted.

Barney's 128 collected items...

...

The flourishing yet decadent Yorknew serves as a city that never sleeps in its own right, yet it bears significant differences from the world's largest gambling cities.

There's always a portion of the city engaged in sleepless revelry.

Numerous hotels built around the auction venues, along with the surrounding entertainment facilities, offer everything one could need.

September sees the highest influx of people to Yorknew, not just tourists but also those attending the auction, increasing the normal flow of people by more than tenfold.

Consequently, hotel rooms are fully booked, and nearby entertainment venues and even small diners switch to a 24-hour operation mode, a change that occurs only in this month each year.

Most attendees of the auction are from the underworld, affiliated with the mafia from the six continents and ten territories, somewhat influenced by the world's top mafia leaders, the Ten Dons.

The underworld is inherently rife with brutal competition.

The fall of one leader is quickly followed by another's rise, with territory and profits being the eternal subjects of conflict.

In this cutthroat environment, assassinating enemies becomes the norm.

Assassins and mercenaries alike flock to Yorknew in September, drawn by the promise of lucrative contracts.

In the night, within a certain hotel.

A black-haired boy stands in front of a floor-to-ceiling window in a luxurious suite on the top floor, rapidly typing on his phone.

【Mission completed. Please transfer the payment to my designated account.】

The message, composed in seconds and sent with a press of his thumb, is promptly dispatched.

This boy is Luo, seen earlier in the hotel lobby, a member of the Zoldyck family. In over a decade, he will become a fearsome individual of formidable strength.

"Starting the mission three days early should allow enough time to complete all tasks by the last day."

After putting his phone away, Illumi looks indifferently at the lifeless body on the floor, marking the beginning of his meticulous plan.

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