Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 156
Tracing back through history, the territories occupied by the various Black Gold Families were all taken through invasion. Ironically, the only group recognized as a violent gang, the Lion family, settled in the previously uninhabited snowy tundra through conquest. The other families’ stability and prosperity were based on plunder and oppression. Perhaps the Fox Family appeared the most gentle and harmless, but in essence, they still operated through a highly effective parasitic system.
When Alexander first began his studies, he hadn’t realized that the texts and ideas he was exposed to were things that most Paradise Island residents could never hope to encounter in their lifetimes. When he did realize this, the ensuing pain and resentment made him harbor a secret grudge against Louis for a time.
Robbers. Murderers. Frauds. The inner city was full of these well-dressed hypocrites. They arrived uninvited from afar, attracted by the area’s natural advantages, and treated the ancestors of Paradise Island’s inhabitants like mules, relentlessly building their so-called “home”.
Fahim, who arranged everything for him, easily saw through him. The extremely rational and thoughtful man didn’t try to mediate the subtle tension between the two boys and didn’t stop him from secretly visiting his family and facing the chasm-like divide between the inner city and Paradise Island. This divide didn’t even have much historical animosity; both sides instinctively tried to draw boundaries while simultaneously seeking coexistence.
So without anyone having to say much, young Alexander retreated on his own. He closed his textbooks, gradually trained himself to focus on other subjects, and achieved progress matching his efforts. After Fahim’s death, he stayed by Louis’s side. He didn’t know why Louis brought up this topic now.
“I was once shaken,” he admitted after a moment of silence. “But I chose you.”
The reasons behind Alexander’s decision were somewhat complex. First, Fahim and Louis had provided him with a previously unimaginable level of comfort. He couldn’t truly resent them because of history. Second, although the inner city had never fully accepted him, he no longer had a place in his family on Paradise Island either. Third, he found Louis to be very strong.
This strength wasn’t related to physical prowess. At the time, his boss was thin, pale, prone to fevers from the slightest breeze or rain, and frequently sick. He often had a stern face due to discomfort, rarely smiling or speaking. Yet none of this affected Louis’s ability to easily outshine Alexander in every non-physical aspect. He was both smart and insightful, excelling in various subjects as if they posed no challenge. Fahim treated him like an adult—an intelligent adult—which was quite remarkable since Fahim often publicly declared that the family was full of “fools”. Problems that drove Alexander crazy always found suitable solutions with Louis. He knew outsiders called him the “all-purpose secretary”, but many of the tasks he handled were actually pre-planned by Louis. He was merely a flawless executor.
Admiring strength might be a human instinct, and to this day, Alexander still respected Louis from the bottom of his heart. He knew that even with Fahim’s guidance, Louis’s life in White Bridge hadn’t been smooth. Fahim’s untimely death left Louis to stand his ground among the surrounding wolves and carve out a place under Khalif. Alexander was well aware of how much effort Louis had invested to achieve this.
He wanted Louis to succeed but didn’t know what Louis truly wanted.
It seemed Louis couldn’t provide an answer either. After a moment of silence, he suddenly changed the subject. “What did those two workers say?”
Alexander had been prepared to confess his secret efforts to support the residents of Paradise Island, including compiling compensation lists and distributing free bean soup to malnourished children at his own expense. Instead, he was caught off guard by the question and took a second to respond.
“They claimed the fire was an accident. Bravi’s severe injury was unexpected. They didn’t realize he was so fragile. They admitted others were involved but refused to give names for now. More pressure might make them crack, so I ordered the questioning to stop temporarily,” Alexander reported. “Bravi stopped breathing before midnight… Mr. Adan was delayed due to this and had to work late, leading to the attack.”
Though anyone with eyes could see that the debauched Bravi was a useless fool whose death was no great loss, he was Adan’s relative, making it difficult for Adan to stay uninvolved.
“So they just wanted to beat Bravi up and didn’t expect that pig to be so weak.” Louis tried to recall who Bravi was but couldn’t remember.
“That’s about right,” Alexander confirmed. “The smaller one withstood the interrogation well. Most information came from the other, but they didn’t plan their escape, so they genuinely don’t know where their accomplices are hiding.”
“Then we’ll find them,” Louis said, glancing at a cabinet. Alexander understood, went to a drawer, and pulled out a hand-drawn map. Louis marked several locations.
“The port and nearby streets, the southwest upper and lower streets with many vacant houses, and the scattered construction sites in this area.” Louis decided without much thought. “Also, the bilge compartments near the shore. These areas need a thorough search.”
“I’m going to Adan’s place. You’ll handle this,” Louis said.
……
Several hours earlier on Paradise Island.
Aquinas closed the door behind him, wiping sweat from his forehead, and hurried to the bed to check if his hidden stash was still there. Despite years of diligently playing his part, his “upper-class” lifestyle on Paradise Island was relative. The residents were generally poor, so even with many people willing to support him, they couldn’t offer much. Necessary expenses for maintaining appearances also couldn’t be avoided, so Aquinas relied on accumulating small amounts over time.
He had been hesitant, reluctant to give up his hard-earned reputation, hoping that the terrifying individuals who had coerced him would let him go after achieving their goals (though he still didn’t know what those were). However, recent developments had given him a bad feeling, and today’s near-out-of-control conflict had deepened this.
The trigger wasn’t significant—two oil refinery workers had skipped work to attend his gathering. The angry boss, losing production and money, stormed over to berate them and even wanted to get physical. Some insiders pushed him away, but by the time Aquinas heard the commotion, the conflict had escalated to a standoff involving over a hundred people on each side. If the cursed man hadn’t privately talked with him and the refinery boss, calming both sides, the situation might have turned bloody.
The two workers weren’t originally Aquinas’s followers because the refinery’s round-the-clock operations left them no time to attend gatherings. However, the recently spread death list included their family members who had died unjustly. Unable to accept this, they sought solace from Aquinas, the “messenger connecting the underworld and the living”.
Conflicts weren’t uncommon on Paradise Island, but the leaders of various factions usually restrained their followers to keep them manageable. Aquinas rarely saw such a large and emotional confrontation. The intense atmosphere and the irrational behavior of people used to being submissive made him nervous.
He knew those men were rapidly influencing the populace, but his status among his followers hadn’t changed. Initially, he planned to muddle through, but the enormous changes happening around him made him wary. Everyone could feel the oppressive tension hovering over Paradise Island, turning it into a powder keg. While Aquinas lacked other skills, his instinct for self-preservation was sharper than most. He had no evidence, but he sensed the men who had kidnapped him were waiting for the right moment. They had diffused the current conflict because the timing wasn’t right yet.
A smart person wouldn’t get involved in such matters, so he planned to run.
His savings wouldn’t last long in the inner city, with its endless temptations. Aquinas had no confidence in himself—after all, he had lost all his money in just a few days, ending up on Paradise Island.
The auction would end in two days, and he had found someone who sold black market tickets, negotiating a spot to escape to Fortuna City and switch to another ship.
Stuffing a wad of cash into his pocket, he opened the door and ran into someone.
“Where are you going?” Shiloh asked suspiciously.
He was still wearing the white robe representing Aquinas’s assistants. Without followers around, he had pulled back the hood, revealing a messy head of red curls like a cat-tangled ball of yarn.
Aquinas was startled and stammered, “N-Nowhere.”
Shiloh scratched his chin, watching as Aquinas slowly held his breath.
“The shopkeeper said you might run away, so I’m keeping an eye on you,” he said, giving Aquinas a bright smile. “That’s not true, is it?”
“Of course not,” Aquinas replied with a tearful smile.
“Then go back and rest. Don’t wander off,” Shiloh said, pushing him back into the room. “Most people have left, but some stubborn ones are still hanging around. I just managed to persuade them to leave, and I’m exhausted. Do me a favor and don’t add to my workload.”
Aquinas had no choice but to be pushed back. As he walked, he noticed Shiloh’s hands were slightly scraped, and his robe was noticeably wrinkled, causing his eyelids to twitch.
If the smooth-talking “shopkeeper” was an evil curse master, then the rest were ruthless fighters, including this boy who still looked like a kid. Aquinas had seen him punch a troublemaker twice his weight, sending him flying with bloody teeth scattered everywhere, giving him nightmares for a whole night.
“I just wanted to take a walk,” Aquinas weakly explained.
Shiloh thought for a moment. “I’ll go with you then, to protect you. The shopkeeper said you’re an important role, and if something happens to you while we still need you, it’ll be a hassle.”
“No need,” Aquinas said feebly. “Maybe tomorrow morning. You should rest early too. Good night.”
Shiloh stood there, watching as Aquinas awkwardly closed the door, then shrugged and pulled out an apple, sitting down to eat.
Aquinas could hear Shiloh’s loud, crisp chewing through the door, making him feel a chill in his heart.
<<< || Table of Contents || >>>
Kinky Translations 