Chapter 999: Instigation

When Ernes left on a carriage, the few bounty hunters hiding in the

vicinity immediately appeared. Without being stingy about the costs

involved, they immediately stopped any rental carriages that passed by.

Some memorized the target carriage's traits and attempted to take

shortcuts through the cramped, isolated paths to catch up to it. Others

rode on the bikes they had prepared ahead of time, swerving through the

crowds and carriages with their bells ringing. It was very easy for them

to keep pace.

Among them, only Xio was completely composed. She remained in her spot,

watching Ernes and her peers leave.

*This transportation tool known as a bicycle is more useful than I

imagined. It's no wonder so many bounty hunters have saved up to buy

one. This can save expenses from taking carriages and save time

walking... If one often has such tracking missions, then the money saved

is enough to buy a brand new bike... The only problem is that this mode

of transportation tool has very few models available. All of them have

high seats...* Xio was enticed.

At this moment, a tracked carriage drove over from the crossroads and

stopped in front of her.

Xio happened to be at a station.

Glancing at the double-decker that stopped on the iron tracks, Xio took

out a few pennies, walked over, and sat down by the window.

Such public carriages could seat nearly fifty people with its double

decks. It wasn't too crowded, allowing Xio to easily observe the scenery

outside.

However, she didn't admire the scenery. Her mind was quickly outlining

the exact appearance of her target: brown hair, red eyes, pronounced

features, a nose bridge that was so high that it looked deformed, and an

oil painting catalog in hand.

With her supernatural senses as a Sheriff, as well as the distance

between them not being too great, Xio could vaguely grasp her target's

current location and predetermined destination.

Therefore, she remained very calm and even took off her cap while using

the glass windows to tidy up her coarse and stubborn blonde hair.

After several stations, Xio suddenly got up when the public carriage

came to a stop as she alighted.

This was the Backlund Bridge area. She had sensed that the target had

already changed direction and was preparing to head towards the bridge.

Xio immediately went on foot, planning to enter another street at the

bend up ahead to board the public carriage that headed for the south

bank of the Tussock River.

She had good luck, with a public carriage driving over just as she

arrived at the stop.

Xio silently exhaled and took out another batch of pennies she had

prepared, her urge to buy a bike strengthened.

This tracked carriage was very crowded, but with her domineering aura as

an Arbiter, she was able to easily pass through the crowd, head up to

the upper deck, and find a seat.

The carriage moved slowly as Xio casually looked out the window when her

gaze suddenly froze.

She saw Sherman who she hadn't been able to find anywhere!

This young man who thought himself as a woman was carrying a paper bag

with a few long loaves of bread and a stack of newspapers as he entered

a narrow alley.

His brown shoulder-length hair had grown longer, and his gray-patterned

trousers seemed tighter.

Although his figure disappeared almost as quickly as he appeared, making

it impossible for the average person to notice, Xio, who was a Sheriff,

easily made the necessary judgment.

*Sherman stopped renting his place in East Borough and moved

here?* Seeing that Sherman was fine and that she was still

tracking her target, she held back her urge to jump off the carriage to

chase after him to ask him about his recent situation.

Sherman carried the paper bag with several long loaves of bread and a

stack of papers as he passed through alleys and streets, making a huge

detour before entering an apartment building. He followed the cramped

stairs to the third story, took out a key, and opened the door to where

he lived.

He seemed to possess some pretty good anti-tracking skills.

With a creak, the door opened as Sherman's eyes lit up. He saw a lady

wearing a black dress in front of him.

This lady had a sweet, supple face and an impeccable figure. Even while

standing at the window and blocking out the sunlight, making herself

become cloaked in the shadows, she seemed to be gilded, making her

appear holy and beautiful.

"Why are you here?" Sherman stared at her in surprise but couldn't help

but size her up.

His unobvious Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed a mouthful

of saliva.

The next second, he turned his head and looked to the side as though he

didn't dare look at her head-on.

"Ma'am T-Trissy..." Sherman stammered a greeting.

Trissy slowly smiled as she allowed the poorly-lit room to appear to

become brighter. Then, she asked with a teasing tone, "Why don't you

dare to look at me?"

"I-I don't know. I-l like men. W-why do I still have odd thoughts when

looking at you..." Sherman continued looking at the ground to his side

as he stammered an answer.

Trissy's expression immediately turned mixed before smiling as though

nothing had happened.

"Females can also appreciate the charm of beauty within their gender."

She paused for a moment before saying, "I came here today because I have

a mission for you. Your original progress has been very fast, leaving me

very satisfied. But it seems like it has recently stopped."

Sherman's face immediately wore a look of horror as he subconsciously

took a step back.

"I-I don't think there's a need to do such things..."

Seeing Trissy silent, Sherman's gradually eloquently stringed his words.

"I really don't wish to instigate others into stealing, robbing, and

murdering. That's too evil, too despicable!

"Even at the very beginning, those people you got me to assassinate

seemed to be a little overboard. Although they had indeed cursed me,

beat me, ostracized me, and spread bad rumors about me, using all kinds

of means to harm me in exchange for joy, their actions didn't require

them to pay with their lives."

Unsurprised, Trissy smiled and said, "That's not what you said back

then. You hated them and had wicked feelings for them. Once you obtained

Beyonder powers, you were so eager to seek revenge on them. I just made

a tiny suggestion, and you planned several assassination missions. I

always remember how you looked---stained with blood, trembling in

excitement and fervor."

Sherman couldn't help but retreat as he heard that until he was stopped

by the door which had closed at some point in time. He then covered his

face with his hands, shouting, "No!

"I have nightmares every night, dreaming of them surrounding me, covered

in blood. They chase after me, bite me..."

Pa! The paper bag fell to the ground as the long loaves of

bread were scattered. The stack of newspapers happened to drop just

beside them.

"This is very normal." Trissy cut off Sherman. "This is a necessary

psychological change for an Assassin. Think about it. Didn't you wish to

kill them when they were bullying you?"

"...Yes," Sherman answered hesitantly.

Trissy then chuckled.

"Just treat it as self-defense when being bullied; thus, killing them."

Her speech had a natural allure that made one wish to listen and

believe. Sherman rapidly calmed down and nodded.

"From this point of view, it does seem much better..."

Upon hearing that, Trissy's dimples appeared as she teasingly added,

"Besides, they weren't your match when they were alive, so what's there

to be afraid of when they're dead?

"Even if they become ghosts or specters, it's nothing. You just need to

seriously complete the ritual and consume one more potion, and then

you'll be able to burn all those souls to oblivion!"

"B-but I can't bear seeing people turn ugly, crazy, and evil under my

acts of instigation." Sherman still seemed rather unwilling.

Trissy indiscernibly curled the ends of her lips as she said with her

smile maintained, "Those are evil thoughts they had to begin with. It

has nothing to do with you. Even without you, those evil thoughts will

erupt at specific moments and situations.

"Also, the missions I arranged for you are all related to the gangs.

Aren't you most aware of what those people are like? Getting them to

fracture and kill one another is mercy and kindness for people like you

and the innocent people of East Borough."

Sherman subconsciously widened his mouth, swallowing the words he was

just about to say.

He instantly fell silent.

Trissy's eyes swept past him and continued with a soothing voice,

"You're just one step away from your target. As long as you complete the

remaining ritual, you can drink the third potion to completely become a

woman.

"When that happens, you can use the name Shermane that you've already

picked for yourself. What a nice sounding name it is, isn't it? Then,

you can leave Backlund as a woman, heading for Midseashire or Desi Bay

where you can begin a brand new life. You will no longer have anything

to do with this place. Yes, you will definitely be filled with charm.

Many excellent men will court you, and you can choose the one you like

the most and are most satisfied with, walking down the aisle in a

cathedral. You will have bubbly kids, and you can bring them up to be

healthy children. You can bring them to Winter County for skiing, Desi

Bay for holidays, and to the hunting grounds which are pleasures that

only nobles have...

"Didn't you say that you were willing to do anything to regain your true

self?"

Sherman's lips quivered, and after pursing them tightly for a while, he

separated them and said, "Ma'am Trissy, I understand. I-I will proceed

according to your instructions."

After saying that, he seemed to lose all his strength as he stumbled to

the ground. He subconsciously reached out to hold onto a coat rack

beside him.

During this process, his gaze happened to sweep past the stack of

newspapers.

It had already spread apart, revealing a particular report:

"...Tycoon from Desi, Mr. Dwayne Dantès, shows interest in purchasing

the Larryway Steel Company, believing that it has excellent

profitability and a promising future..."

"Sir, are you really planning on buying Larryway Steel Company?" Enuni

asked while walking upstairs at 160 Böklund Street.

Dwayne Dantès shook his head and smiled.

"That news is just pure fabrication. I've only met the owner of the

Larryway Steel Company, Mr. Phil La Rivie, at a ball last week and had a

chat."

By the side, Butler Walter heaved a sigh of relief as he warned, "Sir,

the Larryway Steel Company is indeed seeking a buyer. There are quite a

number of people who are considering the option."

*That also means that this piece of news was released by the reporters

under Phil's instructions so that he can sell it at a better

price?* Klein nodded in thought. He entered the room with the

half balcony and prepared to head up above the gray fog. He wanted to

use Enuni's praying point of light to see any abnormalities at Hazel's

place.

This was something that he had been doing daily for the past few days.