Chapter 480 - Why Don't You Dare To Look Me In The Eye? (2)

Right then, two more carriages came speeding down the white-stone path. The curtain of the trailing carriage lifted, revealing a brown-haired youth with delicate features who shouted at the carriage ahead. "Don't go so fast! Blood Fist, I know I talk a lot, but you don't have to run from me, do you? We're both Shadow Hunters, can't we talk a bit more?"

In the leading black carriage, a tall, powerfully built figure leaned back against his seat, expressionless. He spoke coldly to the coachman, "Go faster."

However, the coachman reported back apologetically, "My lord, we've reached the estate's gate. We need to pass the iron gate..."

Cassius frowned and said nothing more. Six or seven minutes earlier, his carriage had happened to meet that of Aaron, the Number Five Shadow Hunter. Aaron had immediately initiated conversation, acting as though they were long-time acquaintances. Cassius responded politely a few times but had instantly regretted responding.

Aaron was exceedingly talkative. He carried on regardless of whether the other person answered, even responding to his own remarks and continuing down that path. Unwilling to get entangled, Cassius had urged his carriage to go faster.

That had led to the current situation.

In truth, although Aaron was outgoing and cheerful, he rarely forced conversations on anyone. The reason he tried to approach Cassius was due to an order from the Chief Mechanist. As Number Two Shadow Hunter and Director of the Treatment Ward, Cassius was always too isolated and enigmatic.

However, so long as they shared the same objectives, the Chief Mechanist would tolerate him. But there had to be a channel of communication between the Treatment Ward and the Dark Hunter Organization's headquarters. The Chief Mechanist needed to be aware of Cassius's intentions, what the Treatment Ward was doing, and what actions they might take next. Only then could the Shadow Hunter headquarters coordinate, handle fallout, cover up what needed covering, and keep developments under control.

Hence, the Chief Mechanist assigned Aaron, who was quite eloquent, to maintain the connection. However, Cassius preferred solitude, so the plan had almost backfired. At the very least, Cassius seemed to dislike speaking with someone carriage to carriage. It seemed rather foolish.

Once the banquet began, Cassius would give the other man a chance. He had already guessed Aaron's motive and the Chief Mechanist's concerns.

After all, a key institution of the Hunters' Association was wholly under another person's control and being run like a personal fief. As the leader of the Dark Hunter Organization, the Chief Mechanist's concerns were perfectly reasonable. Cassius had been showing goodwill by allowing the Chief Mechanist's niece, Claire, to join the operation to wipe out the branch of the Eclipse Society. Faced with the mutual enemies of dark creatures and the Gate Organization, the two sides were most certainly allies.

Cassius had no desire to break ties with the Dark Hunter Organization, since it would bring him no benefit.

One carriage followed the other toward the estate gates. Aaron reluctantly poked his head out of the trailing carriage, muttering, "So aloof, huh? It looks like I'll really have to find a chance at the banquet later and work on him gradually. The Chief Mechanist sure gave me a tough assignment here..."

He shook his head helplessly. He felt like he had shown enough warmth just now, almost calling Cassius his sworn brother. Yet Cassius had only offered lukewarm answers, leaving Aaron somewhat disheartened. Aaron had no idea that the near-mountain-shattering cataclysmic torrent he so feared had been unleashed by Cassius. Had he known, he might have thought twice before bandying about the phrase "sworn brother."

That horrifying battle had given Aaron a serious fright; even though he stayed well away, he had nearly been swallowed by its dreadful aftershocks. He had been plagued by nightmares for many nights. He would dream of returning to that mountain battlefield, frantically running through the woods while the torrent of destruction closed in behind him with terrifying speed, filling him with horror and despair.

Sometimes he woke up drenched in cold sweat, silently swearing he would never again set foot in such a terrifying predicament. Yet unknown to him, he was voluntarily seeking out the source of that day's danger, and even enthusiastically insisting on attaching himself. He was so persistent that the danger itself could not shake him off. It was proof that life was unpredictable—the more one tried to avoid something, the faster it came.

Still, Aaron remained ignorant that Cassius had been the mastermind of that day's events. Such blissful unawareness might just be for the best.

Creak... Creak...

The two carriages proceeded and soon reached the gate. The dark-green curtain was drawn aside. A broad, bony hand held out a black invitation embossed with gold. The elderly butler standing nearby froze for a moment, then bowed respectfully without accepting the invitation. Instead, he gestured inward, personally setting off to guide the black carriage.

Duke Augustus's estate issued invitations in different tiers. Ordinary nobles received white invitations, while the royal family invitations included golden motifs. The rarest by far was the gold-embossed black invitation, reserved for extraordinary figures at the Shadow Hunter rank. When such a guest arrived, there was no need to check the contents or verify credentials. Merely displaying the color of the invitation was enough for the estate's butler to lead the way personally, offering the utmost courtesy.

Clip-clop...

Aaron's carriage also came to a stop. He showed his own gold-embossed black invitation, which left the butler momentarily flustered. However, Aaron seemed familiar enough with Duke Augustus's estate, waving to indicate that he knew where to park.

The elderly butler strode forward briskly to guide them. The two carriages followed unhurriedly. Cassius sat with his arms crossed, gazing indifferently at the scenery outside. Even while doing nothing, he radiated a subtle, commanding presence of immense authority.

Up ahead on the wide path, the dispute between Soss and Nien had ceased.

Swish...

The black carriage passed by the two of them. A wave of uncontrollable rage surged in Soss's heart. He was being humiliated while the man who caused him such torment was right there, receiving VIP treatment. How could Soss not be furious? At that moment, he no longer cared about Nien.

He whipped around, bloodshot eyes brimming with hatred as he stared hatefully at Cassius's impassive face. The subtle contortion of his expression looked murderous. However, when his eyes locked with Cassius's, he felt as though that pair of deep-blue irises had swallowed his gaze. It was as if a black vortex whirled within those eyes, profound, terrifying, mysterious, harboring a hidden monster.

If that monster surged forth, an unimaginable horror would descend. Soss shuddered violently, as though doused in icy water. He lowered his gaze, not daring to meet Cassius's eyes again. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, a deep fear burrowing into his marrow.

"What's the matter? Why don't you dare to look me in the eye? I rather liked the expression you had just now. It was as if there was an angry lion hidden in it though now it seems pitiful, cowardly, and trembling like a young cub... Your mental state doesn't seem right. If you have time, you're welcome to drop by my Treatment Ward. There's a place there called the Savage Beast Den, and an interrogation squad called Ghetto Four just moved in. You'd like it..." Cassius spoke, but his face remained expressionless and calm. His tone sounded utterly casual, yet its meaning sent chills down one's spine.

"Pay a visit to the Savage Beast Den at the Treatment Ward." That practically meant being seized by the ward's violent doctors and locked up as a beast transformation patient gone mad. No one wanted to go there—no one at all!