Chapter 76: The Fall Guy · Hunter Company
"Hahahaha, that's killing me."
Baha was laughing so hard his stomach hurt in front of the projector. Goya's entire operation was being fed back through micro-monitoring devices.
"Commander, I told you my proposal was reliable, look, those two little ones must have a deep impression of Goya now."
Siri slapped his thigh. In the recovery of the Fate Blood, Siri also participated, his main role being to prevent external forces from interfering with the protagonist duo.
Su Xiao planned to recover the Fate Blood in a short time and also deal with another hidden threat, the Hunter Company in the Eastern Continent.
The Eastern Continent didn't have an organization similar to the Mechanism or the Eclipse Organization. How did they deal with dangerous objects? The answer was, the Hunter Company controlled supernaturals to deal with dangerous objects. Afterwards, dangerous objects that could be utilized were kept by the Hunter Company or sold to the Eclipse Organization. Those that couldn't be used and were extremely dangerous were sent to the Mechanism, paying a high amount of Tower Pounds for the Mechanism to contain them.
The Hunter Company was notorious in the supernatural world of the Eastern Continent. They deliberately spread supernatural knowledge through underground channels, causing supernaturals to appear among the people. Then they would hunt these supernaturals, control them through biotechnology, and use them to deal with dangerous objects.
Initially, the Eastern Continent also tried to establish organizations like the Mechanism or the Eclipse, but they collapsed not long after.
The initial financial and resource support wasn't there. The big shots were all watching from the sidelines, their thinking being to let the Mechanism and Eclipse organizations set up branches there, because the Mechanism and Eclipse never sought to seize power.
Dangerous objects had to be dealt with by someone. The Hunter Company was established under this background. The company's philosophy was that wild supernaturals were also a kind of alternative dangerous object, bringing unpredictable dangers to the public, and needed to be controlled. But this control became increasingly intense, developing to the point it is today.
If comparing public order stability, the Eastern Continent was much stronger than the Southern Continent. Supernaturals themselves indeed brought too many uncertainties. After gaining supernatural power, not everyone could control themselves, not treating ordinary people like ants or bread slices.
Through those 30 death warriors, Su Xiao had already confirmed that the Ultimate Insect was in the Eastern Continent. Once there, the Hunter Company would inevitably show its claws. That company wouldn't believe the intelligence from the Mechanism or Eclipse organizations, so cooperation was impossible.
Su Xiao's plan to recover the Fate Blood required the Hunter Company to be the fall guy. When it developed to the end, the White-Haired Youth and Aichi would discover that it was all the Hunter Company's fault. This company was so evil, it was their lifelong arch-enemy.
Don't think that just because the White-Haired Youth and Aichi were easily manipulated by Su Xiao and Kingsley, this was just an opening crush. The White-Haired Youth was artificially created by Kingsley using dangerous objects, and Aichi was cultivated by Su Xiao. These two naturally had no chance of resistance in the hands of him and Kingsley.
If the White-Haired Youth and Aichi were let loose, these two were existences close to being genuine World Children. Caught off guard, the Hunter Company would suffer greatly.
Once the White-Haired Youth and Aichi got there, they would likely level up by fighting monsters all the way, then frantically draw aggro. This was what Su Xiao wanted to see.
He didn't want the Hunter Company to interfere with his plans, so he simply planted a big bomb.
When the White-Haired Youth and Aichi were completely 'having a blast' in the Eastern Continent, the Hunter Company would be surprised to find that compared to the standoff with the Mechanism and Eclipse organizations, the losses on the other side were even more severe. The Mechanism and Eclipse were old hands who knew the rules and wouldn't act recklessly. The two greenhorns who popped up over there didn't understand anything.
Under these circumstances, the Hunter Company's attention would be drawn to the White-Haired Youth and Aichi. By then, the external risks when Su Xiao dealt with the Ultimate Insect would be lower.
This was why Su Xiao made Goya the highest bounty criminal. In everyone's perception, Goya's background identity would make it easier for her to get in touch with the Hunter Company.
The best plan isn't to make a grand entrance at the final moment and then act all perfect. A truly feasible plan is to make the person being schemed against not even know who schemed them in the end, and then continue to be used as a pawn.
When the White-Haired Youth and Aichi learned the 'truth', they might even feel that having the Mechanism and Eclipse organizations in the Southern Continent was such a good thing. Precisely because of these two organizations, when they were weak, they unknowingly received the protection of these two forces. The Mechanism Legion Commander, Kukulin Bai Ye, who had previously filled them with fear, and the Eclipse Organization leader, Kingsley, were both pretty good people, just looking dangerous and terrifying.
Please don't laugh. There was a decent probability that the White-Haired Youth and Aichi would have this kind of thought. This was the absolute crushing power of intelligence.
Su Xiao glanced at the projection on the wall. The White-Haired Youth and Aichi were on the run, not worth paying attention to. He began his daily meditation. The environment of the Deer Flower Manor was nice, especially the sea of flowers in the courtyard. During meditation, there was a faint floral fragrance, making one feel relaxed.
After meditating for a few hours, Su Xiao opened his eyes.
"Boss, Goya has already started instigating."
Baha gestured for Su Xiao to look at the projection on the wall. It was a quiet, tasteful tavern, funded and opened by Aichi.
Baha gave Su Xiao a recap of the previous events. The plot was: the protagonist duo successfully escaped, then sought out Goya. When they found her, they discovered that Goya had already spent all of that 2.5 million Tower Pounds, buying living supplies and medical supplies for over a dozen orphanages and elderly care homes.
Seeing Goya standing among a group of children, the expressions on the White-Haired Youth and Aichi's faces were priceless. Make a move? Was this the right occasion? Not make a move? They were practically exploding with anger. They had been sold out by her last night.
One sentence from Goya completely drained their fighting spirit: "Let's talk outside. Don't let the children see blood."
When this scene was shown through the projection, Siri slapped his thigh and even said, "What a talent."
The White-Haired Youth and Aichi, amidst the children's smiles, had their battle intent -50. Under the elderly people's kind gazes, battle intent -20. Under the nuns' watchful eyes, battle power -10. At a little girl's words, "Sister Goya, where are you going?", battle intent -300.
These two were completely dumbfounded. At this critical moment, Goya said, "Go ahead, make your move. Being found by you is my mistake. In a direct confrontation, I'm no match for you two. Also, bury my body, don't just throw it in a ditch."
The mood of the White-Haired Youth and Aichi at that time couldn't be described by just 'WTF'.
At this point, Goya's second layer of tactics came into play. She sat in a pure white sea of flowers behind the orphanage and began to narrate her past.
She had undergone brutal training since childhood. Her first mission was to kill an innocent woman. Afterwards, she infiltrated the Mechanism to assassinate the Mechanism Legion Commander, Kukulin Bai Ye. She was treated like a plaything by him, but when she finally made her move, her poisoned blade was casually flicked away by his finger. Using Goya's description, "He's simply a monster in human form."
To this, the White-Haired Youth and Aichi gave their unanimous agreement. When Baha narrated this point, Su Xiao frowned. In his plan, there was no such background content.
"Baha, send a message to Goya later. Tell her to stop adding her own scenes, or I'll transfer her to the far southern cold lands to mine sulfur coal."
"Got it."
Baha organized his thoughts and continued narrating. The subsequent content was simple. Goya semi-joined the protagonist team, providing them with a large amount of intelligence. Furthermore, she told Aichi one thing: the thing inside his body was an artificially created dangerous object, a unique technology of the Eastern Continent's Hunter Company, called the Devourer.
Aichi didn't believe it at first, but Goya explained the intelligence on the Devourer in detail, without a single mistake. She told Aichi that the underground cultivation base for the Devourer had been wiped out by the Mechanism organization two years ago. As for why she was so clear about it, she was one of the participants back then, a member of the direct assassination squad under the Legion Commander, having assassinated dozens of researchers related to the Devourer.
According to Goya, the Hunter Company had stopped cultivating Devourers. First, because a large amount of technology had been destroyed. Second, because of the deterrent power of the Mechanism. Third, because of the Devourer's massive side effects.
This 'popular science' from Goya not only made the White-Haired Youth and Aichi think that the Hunter Company attacked them to retrieve the Devourer, but also made them understand the Devourer better.
In reality, this was, of course, complete nonsense. The Devourer was created by Su Xiao and had nothing to do with the Hunter Company. But did that matter? Not at all. The White-Haired Youth and Aichi believed it, and that was enough.
Besides revealing the 'true origin' of the Devourer, Goya also told the two that the Devourer was actually a type of parasite. It would gradually change the host's personality, making the host aggressive and irritable. In the end, the host of the Devourer would go completely mad, considering themselves the apex predator, attacking and devouring everything in sight indiscriminately.
Goya also stated that the Devourer's parasitism had five stages. Reaching the fifth stage meant complete madness, with explosive combat power growth. At its strongest, it could reach a level only slightly weaker than the echelon of Su Xiao and Kingsley.
However, the fourth stage of being parasitized by the Devourer wouldn't show overly strong combat power, roughly at Aichi's current level.
Having said this, Goya also indicated that neither the Mechanism, the Eclipse Organization, nor the Hunter Company would ultimately let Aichi go. The first two wanted to eliminate the Devourer, while the latter wanted to capture Aichi for research.
Goya also stated that the people who attacked Aichi and the White-Haired Youth last night were from the Hunter Company. They wouldn't come to Gaman City just to capture two supernaturals, but for the Devourer's host, the Hunter Company was willing to take the risk.
Everything was explained. Aichi also understood why he had suddenly gone from an ordinary person to this level of strength. But if he reached the fifth stage, he would lose his sanity, leaving only killing in his heart.
In reality, the Devourer wasn't like this. It was something Su Xiao created through Alchemy and Ancient God knowledge. How could it have such a weakness? The Devourer's true weakness was 'Mixed Inert Gas'.
If Aichi could let the Devourer grow to its limit, he would become a perfect symbiotic entity.
Goya then dropped another heavyweight news. The Devourer inside Aichi, due to prolonged combat and devouring a large amount of supernatural flesh and blood, had entered the fourth stage, just one step away from the final fifth stage.
Upon hearing this bad news, the White-Haired Youth and the little clever one, Nainai, whose arm was still in a cast from a recent injury, felt like they had been struck by lightning. Their close friend Aichi was about to become an irrational killing maniac.
Baha stopped his narration here because the situation over there had only progressed to this point. To know the subsequent developments, they could only watch the projection.
Su Xiao looked at the projection on the wall. It was a quiet tavern. The White-Haired Youth behind the bar was silent. Nainai was leaning against the door. Aichi was sitting slumped at the wine table, head down. Not far away was Goya, holding a cocktail, looking relaxed.
"You suspicious woman, why should we believe what you say?"
The White-Haired Youth walked out from behind the bar. In the past, he would never have said such a thing.
"Kid, this is reality. Reality is cruel. I'd love to say that Aichi can overcome the Devourer inside him, but that's impossible. 7,962 hosts were all destroyed at the final moment. Aichi won't be an exception."
Goya stated this cold fact in a flat tone. The White-Haired Youth in front of her lowered his eyelids, his body trembling almost imperceptibly.
"Full of lies. Aichi, don't believe her. Don't forget, this woman sold us out last night."
"But... she described all the characteristics of the Devourer. I can feel the Devourer inside me every moment. It's... exactly as Goya said."
Aichi's eyes were bloodshot, and he managed a forced smile.
"The Devourer is inherently cruel. Oh, there's another piece of information I haven't told you. People whose hearts aren't dark enough can't accommodate the Devourer. It wasn't Aichi who chose the Devourer, but the Devourer chose him because of the darkness, resentment, and anger in Aichi's heart..."
"Shut up!"
The White-Haired Youth made a move to grab Goya's collar, but at that moment, a hand grabbed his forearm. It was Aichi.
"White Hair... she's... right. I used to be... a coward. I..."
Aichi laughed, his shoulders shaking.
"Bullshit! The Thorn Flower Newspaper bombing, the Mermaid incident, the secret laboratory, the Western Continent war... in all these things, without you, me and Nainai would have died long ago."
The White-Haired Youth got more and more agitated. Goya took a light sip of her cocktail beside him, as if it had nothing to do with her.
"Stop it, White Hair."
Aichi lowered his head, his thoughts unknown.
"At this stage, my suggestion is to let Aichi die."
Goya spoke. Hearing this, the White-Haired Youth angrily said:
"Stop talking crap."
The White-Haired Youth grabbed at Goya's face. Suddenly, Aichi grabbed his arm again. In his anger, the White-Haired Youth instinctively shoved Aichi away. As soon as he pushed, he regretted it.
"Hey, don't provoke the Devourer."
Goya nimbly leaped up, standing on the back of a chair. A colorless, odorless gas, one that could even deceive perception, drifted from her sleeve. This was the 'Mixed Inert Gas', the Devourer's nemesis. If only a trace amount, it would instead provoke the Devourer.
Aichi's upper body hunched forward. Granular bumps appeared under the skin of his neck. This was the Devourer trying to burst out of his body, but being restricted.
"Roar."
Aichi let out a low roar and pounced on the White-Haired Youth. The White-Haired Youth was stunned for a moment, then immediately raised his arm to block. A sharp pain shot through him as Aichi's fangs nearly bit through his arm.
"Aichi, have you gone mad?!"
The White-Haired Youth grabbed Aichi's hair, wanting to pull hard, but worried about pulling him bald.
"ROAR!!"
Aichi released his bite and roared at the White-Haired Youth. Layers of black airwaves spread out. His mouth had split open to below both ears, filled with sharp fangs.
Seeing this, the White-Haired Youth's right arm was wrapped in a very technologically advanced bracer. He aimed a friendly heavy punch right at Aichi's face. Aichi winced in pain and immediately retaliated.
For a time, tables and chairs in the tavern shattered, bottles flew everywhere. The White-Haired Youth and Aichi were trading blows, fist to flesh, wrestling together.
"This?"
The little clever one, Nainai, couldn't be clever anymore. With her arm in a single cast, she had no way to intervene. Break up the fight? With her small build, that would be asking for a beating. Helplessly, Nainai could only shout:
"Stop it! Both of you, stop! Don't fight anymore!"
PS: (Two chapters today, but both are big chapters, one 5000 words, one 4000 words. I've been feeling it with the big chapters lately.)