paranoianovel Chapter 47 Funds Arrived
Chapter 47 Funds Arrived
The thought that the life and death of the entire family depended on this transaction made Kate feel cold sweat on her palms and her heart pounding in her chest.
"quack--"
A few piercing caws suddenly broke the silence!
Immediately afterwards, Hick's figure mysteriously materialized from the circling flock of crows and appeared before everyone.
Kurt's eyes suddenly lit up; he had never heard of or seen such a secret technique before.
Meanwhile, the Moreno family members on the other side were completely dumbfounded. The mysterious, eerie, and almost inhuman image of Hick instantly rose to the top in their minds, and awe and fear intertwined.
"Where are the magic crystals?"
Hick's voice was flat and emotionless.
Kate, however, dared not delay in the slightest and quickly gave a signal. Several knights immediately carried out a heavy metal box and placed it on the ground with a clatter.
The lid was lifted, revealing a box full of neatly stacked magic crystal coins that gleamed with a cold yet alluring luster in the sunlight.
The apprentices around him breathed heavily, their eyes gleaming with barely concealed greed.
"Lord Hick, this is the entirety of the Moreno family's sincerity: 66,000 magic crystals, not a penny less. Please verify."
Chief Kate bowed and spoke, her voice trembling slightly.
Without needing Hick's instructions, Kurt immediately waved for several apprentices to come forward and begin a careful count.
Hick remained silent, his gaze sweeping indifferently over the box.
Chief Kate dared not speak further, maintaining a respectful posture, standing with her hands at her sides, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.
Time passed in a stifling silence.
"Boss Hick, the numbers are correct," Kurt reported in a deep voice after finishing the count.
Upon hearing Kurt's words, the invisible frost on Hick's face seemed to melt away slightly.
He then turned to Chief Kate, his tone taking on a more serious tone:
"I have received the Moreno family's sincerity. Rest assured, leave this matter to me. The Silent Forest will not implicate you in the slightest!"
Hick's assurance was firm and unwavering—after all, the Wizard Tower's higher-ups hadn't mentioned an investigation yet, so he felt no burden. As for potential future accountability?
He sneered inwardly:
At that time, he, Hick Lane, will surely appear as the one who "sweeps away the enemies of the Silent Forest"!
Whatever the truth is, who cares?
"With Lord Hick's words, we can rest assured!"
Kate let out a long sigh of relief, as if a huge burden had been lifted, but then she asked cautiously, "You see... the compensation has been paid in full, but what about that... medal...?"
Hick raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of curiosity flashing through his mind:
What kind of magic does this medal possess that makes the Moreno family still so attached to it even after paying such a heavy price?
However, the thought only flashed through my mind.
Whatever secrets this award may hold, it has nothing to do with him.
"Of course," Hick's voice returned to its calm tone. He calmly took out the ancient badge from his storage ring, casually toying with it between his fingers. "I said I would give it to you, and I will not go back on my word."
He waved the medal in front of Kate, his tone carrying a subtle but pertinent hint:
"Our Wizard Tower suffered heavy losses because of it... I hope your Moreno family will learn to cherish it."
Kate looked at the medal and felt a chill run from the soles of her feet to the top of her head. Cold sweat instantly soaked her back, and her lips moved, but she couldn't utter a single word.
"Give."
As Hick tossed the medal in his hand, it flew in an arc and landed in Kate's hand.
Feeling the medal she had lost and then regained in her hands, Kate almost burst into tears.
If her youngest son were standing in front of her right now, Kate would want to strangle that wretched child again!
If that guy hadn't been running around with that medal and getting killed, would things have turned out like this?
The entire family has been emptied out; they are now penniless, with only massive debts remaining. Crucially, they were nearly wiped out by the Silent Forest.
"Alright, the money and goods are settled. Chief Kate, you can come to me for cooperation again if you need anything in the future."
Very satisfied, Hick did nothing but let the Moreno family leave, and then suggested that they could cooperate next time. After saying that, he turned and left.
The Moreno family members who remained in place looked at each other in bewilderment.
Killing a mere first-level apprentice has bankrupted a family; if they were to cooperate in other areas, what would happen?
"Boss Hick, they've put up so much money, we should be grateful they don't complain. Can we still cooperate?"
Hick chuckled: "Complain about us? They should be thanking me."
"How is this possible? They are..."
Before Kurt could finish speaking, Chief Kate's voice, tinged with the excitement of surviving a close call, rose sharply from behind him:
"Lord Hick! Thank you for your magnanimity! You will always be the Moreno family's most honored friend!"
The Moreno family members, led by their patriarch, were seen bowing deeply in the direction where Hick had left, offering the most solemn thanks.
"..." Kurt opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.
The contact between the two parties was brief, and Hick was worried that the deal would attract the attention of those with ulterior motives and cause unnecessary trouble, so he was eager to withdraw.
The Moreno family's eagerness to leave was quite simple.
"My lord, shall we set off for Anse Wizarding Academy immediately?" Knight Commander Riso asked in a deep voice, his tone equally urgent.
"Of course! Immediately! Right now!"
Chief Kate spoke decisively, showing none of the deference she had shown before Hick, "The turmoil in the capital has already been big enough. Secrecy? We can't afford to worry about that now!"
"Leave the city immediately and rendezvous with the family knights waiting on the outskirts of the Silent Forest. Proceed at full speed to Anse Wizard Academy! Time..."
His face was ashen. Thinking of his youngest son, he gritted his teeth, "He's already wasted far too long on that good-for-nothing!"
The plan was almost flawless, but it was ruined at the most crucial moment by that good-for-nothing!
Watching the Moreno family members hurry away, almost fleeing, Kurt frowned:
"Boss Hick, they seem... unusually anxious."
"urgent?"
Hick also stopped and looked back at the hastily departing convoy, and the doubt about the emblem resurfaced in his mind.
What exactly does that thing represent?
The thought flashed through his mind, but he quickly suppressed it. Now was not the time to delve into this.
"Kurt," Hick withdrew his gaze and handed over the scroll he had prepared beforehand, "This is a list, and I need you to take your men and purchase everything as soon as possible."
At the same time, he casually waved his hand, and the apprentices who were holding the remaining boxes of Magic Mirror Coins suddenly felt their hands become lighter.
"Forty thousand Magic Mirror Coins are more than enough to buy all this stuff. Kurt, hurry up!"
Kurt quickly scanned the list, which contained supplies that could be procured quickly.
"Understood! It will be delivered to you within two days!" Kurt solemnly promised.
"Um."
Hick responded, and then with a soft "bang," his figure suddenly transformed into a flock of black ravens, flapping his wings and creating a gust of air as he swiftly flew towards the upper levels of the Wizard Tower.
Kurt and his apprentices gazed up at the tower where the crows had disappeared, their faces filled with pure awe and longing.