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Chapter 444: Sacrifices and Consequences
Chapter 444: Sacrifices and Consequences
A thick plume of black smoke billowed upwards, spreading wildly in the air. It hung heavily, its density palpable. The acrid smell of burning filled the air, deterring anyone from approaching too closely.
The searing alarm pierced the air, and fire trucks raced past, their red bodies standing out vividly like streaks of lightning. Pedestrians on the street paused, and a few cars pulled over, their passengers craning their necks curiously. "What's going on up there? Why is it on fire?" they asked each other.
Two burly men in police uniforms set up roadblocks, shouting, "Don't come any closer! Go back or take a detour... There might be an explosion ahead!"
Hearing this, the pedestrians who had been complaining about the fire's delay turned and left, but a few remained, thinking that they were far enough away that even an explosion wouldn't reach them. They might as well enjoy the spectacle.
A black MPV was also parked on the side of the road, its occupants pale-faced, with no intention of getting out to watch.
John Adler clutched his briefcase as if it were his life, and in a trembling voice, he asked, "Hey... That direction... Is that my estate?"
The white-gloved driver responded calmly, "Yes, Mr. Adler."
John Adler was speechless for a long moment.
He had a vague idea that he was the decoy, but before coming here, someone had assured him that this operation would be a success. They had promised that his estate might suffer some damage but that he would be compensated in other ways.
For example, others in the business would cede more benefits to him, or he would receive additional shares of the longevity potion.
As for his personal safety, he had been assured that there was absolutely no danger.
And they call this 'no danger'? If he hadn't run fast enough, he might have been roasted alive!
Abigail, sitting next to him, had already silently gripped her wand with her right hand. She tried to contact those left in the estate but received no response, almost certain that they had all been killed or captured.
Abigail couldn't understand why the plan had failed—in previous simulations, their chances of victory exceeded sixty percent, and even in defeat, the success rate of the main force's escape was over ninety percent.
But the outcome was completely unexpected.
Had Dumbledore and Grindelwald joined forces? Or was it that some wizards, like characters in legends, unleashed greater power in times of crisis?
Regardless, since no one had escaped alive, no one could find her or Adler.
On the bright side, perhaps the people in the estate hadn't reported Adler's desertion yet! After all, this guy might be unpleasant, but he was always generous with his money.
Abigail's eyes flashed with danger, and her wand silently extended a small length from her sleeve.
Having experienced countless battles since childhood, she was already adept at using the Silent Spell.
John Adler, unaware, was searching through his contacts on his phone, complaining, "They're all burnt to a crisp! The promised compensation must be tripled... No, it should be five times! Don't wait for the others; they're definitely all dead! Let's go to Hershen now..."
As John Adler scrolled through his contacts, he suddenly stiffened, as if turned to stone, unable to move a single finger.
The phone slipped from his palm, but before it hit the ground, a hand caught it and closed the lid.
John Adler broke into a cold sweat, his eyes darting around frantically. He realized that his bodyguard and driver had also turned into statues, immobile and silent, their breathing barely audible.
The only person in the car still capable of movement was the talkative wizard bodyguard.
John Adler understood what was happening, and he stared at her in shock and fear, unsure why she had suddenly turned on them.
Abigail glanced at the muscular bodyguards, some of whom had been special forces, sharpshooters, and boxing champions, all with close-combat abilities far surpassing her own.
But it wasn't until they were frozen by magic that they realized what was happening.
The secretary, seated in the last row, hadn't been affected by the magic due to her angle. However, she instinctively sensed the sudden petrification of those around her and tried to lunge forward to open the car door, only to realize her position made it impossible.
A slender wand was now pointed at her nose.
The secretary raised her hands, managing a forced smile, and asked tremulously, "Why? Miss Abigail... If you're dissatisfied with the compensation, we can negotiate further. I'm sure Mr. Adler would be willing to offer a price that would please you."
John Adler blinked rapidly, indicating his agreement.
"You know, my parents died because of two reckless wizards," Abigail suddenly said.
"That... I'm so sorry, that's terrible," the secretary said cautiously, not fully understanding.
"I joined the organization to seek revenge. I believe that such reckless wizards should not exist in this world. Our boss can lead us to establish a new order, a world where everyone, regardless of race or magical ability, is bound by laws and no one can act recklessly!" Abigail explained.
The secretary smiled awkwardly and praised, "Such noble ideals... So, Mr. Adler has been providing substantial funds every year to support your organization."
Adler's eyes welled up with tears as he looked at her, hoping she would say more.
But Abigail continued, her expression unchanging, "I understand that sacrifices are necessary to achieve this goal, and there will undoubtedly be innocent people who get hurt."
"I'm even willing to be the organization's knife. I'll exploit my wizard identity to steal secrets from the wizarding world, alter memories, hurt people I didn't want to harm, kill innocent parents and helpless children, and send kids who could have attended school to the organization's base to train them as qualified fighters."
"They told me that those who are not willing to sacrifice anything will not be able to change anything. There will be short-term pain and losses, but these will bring about greater change and progress, all for the sake of creating a better and fairer world for future generations."
Abigail spoke calmly, "Of course, it wasn't you who deceived me, but you are part of this organizational evil... and my own foolishness."
Before the secretary could respond, a green Killing Curse struck her chest. She screamed, her body jerked, and she slumped back in her chair, dead.
The witch swirled her wand, pointing it at the other terrified eyes.
"My apologies, everyone... I hope we can all be ordinary people in our next lives," she said.
...
A few streaks of green light flashed inside the car, and the deep black windows lit up briefly. However, due to the sunshade film, the faint light didn't attract the attention of passersby.
All the bodyguards were slumped in their seats, their faces pale and lifeless, without any visible injuries.
Adler was terrified and nearly wet himself.
His eyes widened, his pupils dilated, and he stared at Abigail in horror, trying to convey his pleas and bargain with her through his gaze.
Abigail noticed his pleading look but showed no mercy. She pointed her wand at Adler's head and whispered, "Soul retrieval!"
...
Half an hour later, the witch, wearing a cap, exited the car with her head down. She stuffed the memory vial containing silver memories into her backpack, glanced around, and closed the car door.
In the distance, the black smoke had thinned significantly, and people were gathered in a tavern a few hundred meters away, drinking and discussing the unfortunate Adler family.
There was no one else around.
The wand hidden in her sleeve twitched slightly, and the parked car seemed to start moving. It glided forward slowly, picking up speed as it went downhill, eventually crashing through the railing and soaring into the open sky.
"Boom!"
Below the steep slope, a loud explosion reverberated.
Abigail stared at the flames, her mind replaying the scenes from the lens video.
The latest novel, the smallest, and the most talked-about book is now available!
The truth that Abigail had been ignoring suddenly became starkly apparent, revealing the cruel and callous nature of the organization she served and the colleagues she trusted. They lacked ideals and principles, driven only by endless greed and exploitation, not even worthy of being called human.
After searching through Adler's mind, Abigail confirmed this even more.
She had joined the organization to avenge her parents, but its actions were a thousand times more evil than the recklessness of those two wizards. Abigail sighed, turned, and walked towards the nearby forest.
...
Vide held a teacup, sitting in the headmaster's office at Hogwarts, feeling so content that he wanted to lie down and take a nap.
The comforting atmosphere, once taken for granted, now felt precious in its absence.
It was not yet time for sleep, especially after Dumbledore had just returned with Vide, saying he was going to pick up the others and leaving in a hurry. He would probably be back soon.
Vide poured himself a cup of hot cocoa and strolled casually around the room.
As usual, the sleeping portraits and spinning silverware adorned the walls, but a large space suddenly appeared, revealing a miniature world with a rich landscape, as if the essence of nature had been condensed into this small area.
Mountains three to four feet tall stood against the wall, with a winding stream flowing from them. Surprisingly, the riverbed was covered with tiny pebbles, and the meadow alongside it was dotted with pea-sized wildflowers.
On one side of the mountain was a miniature forest, where Dumbledore's magical animal dolls were scattered in their preferred spots, and there were even more of them now, including nail-sized rabbits and squirrels the size of peas.
At the foot of the mountain stood a small house where a family of five humanoid dolls lived. Some were drawing water, some were feeding chickens, one was lying asleep on a pile of hay, and two were lying on the attic floor, apparently playing gobstones.
After a while, the "mother" who had been feeding the chickens picked up the feeding spoon and woke up her son who was hiding and sleeping. She also called down the two children who were playing upstairs. The family, with baskets slung over their shoulders, set out together, apparently going to pick mulberries.
The primitive life was simple, yet it exuded a sense of carefree tranquility, calming the observer's heart.
Vide watched for a long time, and as they began their return journey, he decided to pour himself a glass of water. It was only then that he noticed Dumbledore had returned.
The professor looked no different from before, smiling kindly and gesturing for Vide to sit across from him.
"Professor," Vide said as he sat down, "Your miniature world is becoming more and more fascinating."
"Yes," Dumbledore smiled and said, "Sometimes when I feel troubled, watching them calms me down... I may have said this many times, but I must praise it again - it's an incredible invention, Vide."
Vide smiled and said, "Thank you, Professor."
"Tell me about your experiences during this time," Dumbledore said. "I believe you have a lot to share."
...
The candles in the headmaster's office gradually dimmed until they went out completely. The morning light outside had brightened, and warm sunshine poured through the windows, casting a glow on the ground and outlining the blurred edges of the window frame.
Vide could even hear the sounds of students bustling in the school grounds, and in the distance, several figures were flying and chasing each other on the Quidditch pitch—the Quidditch players in training.
He suddenly remembered that in about a month, it would be the Ravenclaw versus Slytherin match, and perhaps one of the teams was practicing at this very moment.
"Grindelwald's attitude confuses me, Professor," Vide said. "I mean... I can understand his intentions, but I don't understand why..."
"Why you?" Dumbledore asked, intertwining his thumbs.
"Well... there are many talented young wizards in the Wizengamot, Durmstrang, and other countries as well."
"I won't belittle myself," Vide said, "but I am your student. I believe... I later thought that the main reason Grindelwald approached me was probably to... to target you."
Dumbledore smiled.
"You underestimate your own value, Vide. If I were Grindelwald, I would also have high hopes for you—of course, I'm not saying you should trust him blindly."
A flash of coldness and complexity passed through Dumbledore's eyes as he gazed at the light patches on the table through his half-moon glasses.
"As I told you before... Gellert Grindelwald is a very dangerous man," Dumbledore said. "He can easily ignite people's hearts with his words, turning his ideals into theirs and even leading them to follow him to the death."
"The most dangerous thing about him is that he makes people believe that his goals are noble, his methods are just, and everything he does is for the progress of humanity... But in reality, he is only willing to sacrifice others and use any means necessary to achieve his own ends."
"I trust that you won't be fooled by him, Vide. You have a clear mind, and you have loving parents and friends. Even for their sake, you won't follow Grindelwald down a dark and destructive path."
"But sometimes, what we do is not decided by us but is pushed by external forces. So I must remind you..."
"Stay vigilant, Vide. Beware of the temptations of power and the poison of ideology. Frequently examine your own heart... Remember, choices reflect a person's character more than their abilities."
(End of Chapter)
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