parentshiftbook Chapter 43 Extortion
Chapter 43 Extortion
"Even at a time like this..." Hick's voice held a hint of playful coldness, "You're still thinking about that medal?" He shook his head slightly, as if stating an unfortunate fact:
"Everything that Klar possessed, including that medal, is now in the hands of my mentor, Lord Perot. This matter..."
He paused deliberately, his gaze sharp as he stared into Rizzo's eyes:
"This is not a good situation."
Rizzo's body trembled violently as if struck by lightning! The medal was in the hands of that wizard Perot?! Wasn't that utterly hopeless?!
Wait a minute... "Difficult to handle"? Not "Impossible to handle"!
A glimmer of light shines through the despairing darkness once again!
"Add another five thousand Magic Mirror Coins!"
Rizzo screamed, his voice distorted by extreme pain, "This...this is the last thing...this is the Moreno family! My lord!! I beg you!!"
Hick's gaze finally changed. It was a cold, precise, and emotionless look, as if he were scrutinizing whether the goods were properly weighed.
"Okay." Hick's lips twitched upwards almost imperceptibly, his voice resolute:
"Great! I, Hick Lane, will take the blame for this! As for the medal..."
His gaze shifted towards the top floor of the wizard tower, a meaningful look in his eyes:
"I will personally go to my mentor to ask for it. Three days later, here, bring 65,000 Magic Mirror Coins!"
After saying that, he turned around and led Kurt toward the Wizard Tower without any hesitation.
Rizzo and the others felt as if they had been granted a pardon, their bodies almost collapsing from exhaustion, greedily breathing in the air of their newfound life. However, before they could even catch their breath—
"Oh, right."
Hick, as if just remembering some trivial matter, tossed out a remark without turning his head:
"The final payment for killing that Krall... one thousand Magic Mirror Coins, don't forget."
Thump! Rizzo's heart nearly stopped! He hurriedly bowed to the departing figure, his voice trembling with tears:
"Don't...don't worry, sir! I wouldn't forget! I absolutely wouldn't forget!!"
Only after Hick's figure had completely disappeared into the shadows of the tower gate did a knight ask urgently, his voice trembling with tears:
"My lord! We...we really have to pay that much?! That's 66,000! The family...the family will be bankrupted!"
Rizzo whirled around, his bloodshot eyes glaring fiercely at the knight who had spoken, his voice hoarse as if sandpaper were being scraped:
"Empty our heads?! What do you want then?! Are you waiting for the Silent Forest to send people to 'empty' all our heads?!"
He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the humiliation and anger that was about to erupt:
"If they had seized it by force, we could have fought to the death and begged Anse Academy for protection! But this is 'compensation'! We are in the wrong! Would the academy offend the Silent Forest and question the 'loss' of a second-level wizard for the sake of our small family that is in the wrong?! Huh?!"
The knight's lips trembled, still unwilling to give up: "But... what if... what if that Hick was lying? What if... it's not that serious..."
Rizzo's eyes were sinister. After a moment of silence, he gritted his teeth and gave the order:
"You! And you! Go find the apprentices you know in the Wizard's Tower and find out!" He pointed at the others:
"The rest of you, come with me to... that cave! Afterwards, meet us outside the Silent Forest!"
……
Temporary meeting point at the edge of the Silent Forest.
The atmosphere was as heavy as lead.
The knight sent to gather information was pale and his voice trembled:
"M-Sir...I asked...I found out...that things...are only...worse than what Kurt said..."
"The Wizard Tower...so many people have died...even...even third-level apprentices..."
"The Wizard of Perot...indeed...it's said...he looked very pale at the time..."
Riso remained silent. He had already been to the original dark cavern.
Even from miles away, the scorching heat that burned everything and the deathly aura of sulfur felt like a giant, tangible hand gripping his throat!
When he saw with his own eyes the boiling, churning lava lake that had replaced the former dark cavern—
This iron-willed knight commander finally lost control, and scalding tears mixed with desperate sweat silently slid down his dust-covered cheeks.
The savings accumulated by generations of a family over decades, or even centuries... are gone!
All gone!
"...Let's go." Riso used the last of his strength, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible.
He glanced one last time at the wizard's tower, which resembled a crouching behemoth, his eyes filled with a deathly resignation.
The Moreno family knights, like defeated soldiers, rode off dejectedly down the road to despair.
In the shadow of the Wizard's Tower.
Kur's figure slid out silently, like a gecko blending into the darkness.
He gazed in the direction the knights had disappeared, a silent, mocking smile spreading across his lips as he whispered to a small black stone in his hand that shimmered with faint magical energy:
"Boss Hick, just as you predicted, they really did investigate."
"Our people weren't involved, were they?"
"Don't worry, those apprentices are just telling the truth that they know it all. None of our people were involved."
"That's good. You did a good job. When you get back, register all the seriously injured apprentices whose futures are ruined. I need them."
"Understood, Boss Hick! I'll make the arrangements as soon as I get back!"
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Looking at the dazzling array of experimental supplies, Hick's face was filled with satisfaction. Thinking of the 66,000 Magic Mirror Coins he was about to receive, his smile deepened. There's always someone wanting to contribute to his grand undertaking—alas, what a nuisance!
"The Money-Giving Boy truly lives up to his name!"
Thinking this, Hick took something out of the ring—a mirror.
Most of the valuables in the ring were taken by the mentor, while the remaining items that the mentor didn't care about were left untouched.
For example, that medal, and for example...
The mirror in his hand right now!
This is the very special magical artifact that Klar used to control Belon!
Its core ability is to forcibly establish a contract for its master, compelling others to submit to the mirror master!
"Great! Now all my ideas can come true!" Hick's eyes flashed with fervor.
His biggest concern in keeping his human enhancement experiments on hold was the fear that the test subjects would go out of control and cause a backlash.
But with this mirror, all obstacles are easily overcome!
"Klara, you're truly my lucky star!"
He chuckled softly, put the mirror away, and turned to walk towards the laboratory that had been prepared just for him.
On the experimental table, a manual is laid out: "The Possibilities and Practices of Transplanting Horned Lizard Skin Armor into Humans".
Hick took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and gave the order in a deep voice:
"Kurt, bring him in!"
"What are you trying to do? Do you know who I am? I'm not going in! I don't want to go in!"
"No--!!"