https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-135-Who-Sneaks-Around-Seriously-/12969746/
Chapter 134: Finding a Person
Chapter 134: Finding a Person
"Truly worthy of being one of the former twin pillars of the kingdom, you’re really willing to offer such a high price."
After glancing at the "price list" handed to her, the middle-aged woman in a brown robe smiled and said to the elderly man with a rose emblem embroidered on his chest:
"Count Sam, if you don’t mind, could you tell me how much the Lane family offered you to help deliver this letter?"
"About that..."
"Ha ha, if you don’t want to say, then it’s fine. I was just asking casually."
Seeing the troubled expression on the elderly man’s face, the woman in the brown robe smiled and said:
"Being able to extract money from the Lane family is your own skill, and our Scale Gold Sect’s doctrines do not oppose such actions; in fact, they even encourage it. However, without me, you wouldn’t have earned this money. As the most crucial link, I request to share a portion of your income. Do you agree?"
"Agree, of course I agree!"
After inwardly cursing the greed for money, the elderly man, named Sam, nodded his head repeatedly while gritting his teeth and handed over a new price list.
Seeing the satisfied look in the woman in the brown robe’s eyes, the elderly man, whose eyes were full of pain, couldn’t help but secretly let out a sigh of relief. He then bowed slightly, with a respectful expression, and said:
"Your Excellency, the people from the Lane family are in the outer room. If you are available now..."
"Available, of course I am!"
Echoing the elderly man’s tone, the woman in the brown robe, who looked to be in her early forties, laughed and said:
"Just helping to find a person can bring in such a substantial income, how could I not be available? Let’s go, let’s meet the guests from the Lane family."
"Alright, please come this way."
Leading the woman in the brown robe through the long corridor of the manor, they arrived at a rather secluded reception room. Seeing the few people who hurriedly rose to greet them, the elderly man from the Rose family took the initiative to introduce both sides:
"Your Excellency, these are the only remaining clan elder of the Lane family, the new Head of the Family, and the most trusted personal steward of the old Duke."
"Gentlemen, the lady beside me is a Bishop of the Scale Gold Sect, you can callher... "
"The nameisunnecessary, gentlemen, you can just call methe'Brown'."
Interrupting the elderly man’s introduction, the middle-aged woman in the brown robe quickly stepped forward, shook hands with each of them, and then said with a pleasant smile:
"I heard from Count Samthat youcontactedtheScaleGoldSectbecause thedesignatedHeirApparentfortheLaneFamilyhasgone missing, andyouwantmetofindhim, right?"
"Yes, yes!"
Hearing the woman in the brown robe’s question, the newlyappointedHeadoftheFamily, who was theyoungestamongthethree, immediatelynoddinghisgoldenhair, somewhatexcitedlysaid:
"Brown... YourExcellency! To befrankwithyou, wearetrulyoutofoptionsnow.
There are only two days left until the investiture ceremony, and the invitation letters have already been sent out, but the old Duke’s designated heir ran away from the hospital this morning!
To be honest with you, if you can help us find him and bring him back within two days, we are willing to add fifty percent to the gift list we’ve already given you!"
？！！！
Are you crazy? Who reveals everything at first meeting?
Hearing the young man’s words, the other two from the LaneFamilywereinstantaneouslyshocked, then lookedat himwith eyes full of shock and blame.
And the young man seemed to realize his mistake, quickly coveringhis mouth with his hand, then shaking his head frantically, hiseyes fullofpanic, he said:
"I... Thisisn’twhatI meant tosay! I didn’t!"
"Ha ha, please don’t blame him, Your Excellency didn’t mean to say those things. I just don’t like mutual deception, so I used a small trick to make everyone communicate as honestly as possible."
After briefly explaining what she had done, the woman in the brown robe smiled nonchalantly at the three men, whose eyes were now filled with deepdread, and then suggested:
"As for the additional fifty percent, let’s forget about it. The gift list you’ve already given is already quite generous. We of the Scale Gold Sect love wealth, but we aren’t so greedy. Taking what I deserve is enough."
Looking at the offer of no additional cost, the few who had visibly relaxed upon hearing this news, including the woman in the brown robe, slightly curled her lips and added:
"However, even though we're confident in finding the new Duke, our method of locating him is a bit unconventional, and I'm not sure if you'll be able to accept it."
Unconventional?
Upon hearing the woman's words, the three Lane family members exchanged glances, and the eldest clan elder spoke up:
"Brown Excellency, may I ask what you mean by unconventional?"
"It requires joining our Scale Gold Sect, but not you, but rather the new Duke of the Lane family."
The woman in the brown robe slightly parted her lips, and like a brown cat that had spotted a fat rat, she revealed a peculiar smile.
"I worship one of the three Holy Spirits, the Cat Spirit. Anyone who has ever used money, even if they've only had a slight connection with it, cannot escape its perception and summoning.
So, finding the new Duke's location is very simple. If the Great Cat Spirit is willing, it can even bring him directly before you, even if he has already fled the capital. It won't delay the Marquis Ceremony in two days.
The only catch is that once the new Duke is locked onto by the Great Cat Spirit's power, he will be influenced by it. He will bear the scent of our Scale Gold Sect and will almost certainly have no further dealings with other sects.
I wonder if you are willing to accept this condition?"
Forced to join the Scale Gold Sect? Never able to join another sect again?
After hearing the woman's words, the three Lane family members exchanged glances once more.
Well, it's just a puppet Duke. As long as he shows up at the Marquis Ceremony in two days and stabilizes the Lane family's situation, it doesn't matter if he joins the Scale Gold Sect. Even if he's missing an arm or a leg, it's fine!
But what if the Scale Gold Sect has ulterior motives?
The clan is rushing the Marquis Ceremony to preserve some of the Lane family's assets. Even if they can't protect everything, they can still leverage the Lionheart Duke's title to gain more benefits for their own lineage.
And if the new Duke joins the Scale Gold Sect, there's one more person who can use the title to their advantage. What if the Scale Gold Sect secretly interferes and tries to take over the Lane family's assets?
"Bishop, please locate him first."
After a round of intense eye contact, the Lane family members finally reached a consensus. The old Duke's steward bowed slightly and said:
"If the new Duke hasn't gone far and is just temporarily hiding, we can find him ourselves. But if he has already left the capital, please help us bring him back."
"Alright, then give me something he has used."
Unconcerned with the Lane family's calculations, the woman in the brown robe took two bandages still smeared with ointment from the steward's hand. She lowered her head, and her dark brown lips trembled slightly before she silently recited a few lines.
Immediately, a lazy meow echoed in the reception room. The woman's pupils rapidly closed and then split horizontally, as if sliced by a knife. Her eyes quickly enlarged, transforming into a pair of eerie cat eyes.
"I see."
After blinking uncomfortably, the woman with the enlarged eyes, now three times their original size, observed the "trace" on the bandage extending into the distance. Despite her frightening appearance, she smiled and said:
"It seems the Duke hasn't gone far. Let me check his surroundings... Hmm... He's carrying something and has jumped over a wall into a large patch of red roses. Not far away is a six-story building with a rose-red exterior..."
Wait, this building looks familiar!
(End of Chapter)
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