The Limits of Evil

The intelligence mentioned at the Mysticism Research Society convened by "Leader" somewhat exceeded Xio's expectations. It even made Backlund feel unfamiliar to her.

"I want to post a task." After quickly scanning the information provided by "Leader," "Hound" continued after paying 50 pounds for it, "Help me investigate who this person came into contact with while he was alive."

After saying that, he took out and unfolded a portrait. "I'll provide detailed information on this person, as well as some of the people he contacted while alive. For every contact you find who isn't in the materials, I'll pay 10 pounds. No upper limit."

"Mm, they must have had contact with him within the past three months."

Odys saw that it was a portrait of the deceased Mandated Punisher informant.

This was already the third time he had encountered this person. The first was when Enoch reported that someone was looking for the informant.

The second time had been on the night of the underground boxing match. He had seen the man in person during the match, only for him to become a corpse lying on the ground shortly afterward.

This was the third time he had seen that face.

Odys knew very well that the man had died at the hands of the Royal Guard. It probably involved nobles, perhaps even some secrets of the Royal Family. Best not to provoke it if possible.

Then he considered something else. Had the Royal Guard worked with MI9 on the assassination of this informant? Now "Hound," who came from MI9, was investigating whom the informant had contacted before his death. It seemed that killing him had failed to produce a result that satisfied them.

At that moment, Xio raised her hand. "I can try taking this task."

If there were detailed materials, a commission of 10 pounds was quite generous.

She felt that she could look through the materials first. Perhaps she might stumble upon some clue.

"The newcomer is quite proactive." "Hound" smiled. "Is anyone else willing to take this task? I brought three sets of materials in total."

Soon, two other members took the task as well. "Hound" had always been quite trustworthy, and the commission for this task was indeed generous.

After "Hound" finished posting his task, "Lion" Byron, who had been rather quiet today, suddenly said, "There's been new progress on my previous commission.

"After staking out the East District for about a week, I discovered that someone was secretly abducting vagrants. I followed that group and eventually found that they were keeping all those people in a warehouse in the Harbor District.

"I saw Capim there."

The other members were all slightly stunned. One of them said indignantly, "That doesn't seem surprising. That bastard will get what's coming to him sooner or later!"

Several other members condemned Capim in turn. Even in Backlund's Beyonder world, that fellow had an extremely bad reputation.

"Leader" Odys interrupted their condemnation and asked "Lion," "It seems you intend to keep investigating?"

"Yes!" "Lion" said with great determination. "I want to gather more evidence, then hand it over to reporters and expose that villain's atrocities!

"You may not know this, but in that warehouse, those vagrants suffered miserable fates. They were sorted like livestock. Anyone weak or sick was simply thrown into the deep waters of the Tussock River.

"Every one of them had stones tied to them. No one could ever float back up..."

Xio suddenly interrupted "Lion." "Wait, are you saying every one of them had stones tied to them?"

"Yes. Cruel, isn't it?"

"Didn't you notice the problem here?" Xio first asked a question, then answered it herself. "If they didn't meet Capim's requirements, they should have just driven the weak vagrants away.

"Why tie stones to them?"

At that point, most of the members understood. Doing that was far too troublesome. In the eyes of those human traffickers, perhaps a vagrant wasn't even worth as much as the rope used to tie on the stones.

"Lion" understood as well. "He... they were... killing them to silence them."

After the living room fell silent for several seconds, "Hound" suddenly reminded him, "I've heard of Capim. He has powerful backing. I suggest you stop investigating."

Going that far in his warning was already doing everything he could.

"Lion" looked at "Leader" across from him. "May I ask what advice you have?"

Odys said, "Clearly, you have no intention of listening to our advice."

"Lion" froze for a few seconds before saying, "I... I only..."

He took a deep breath. "All this time, I haven't thought of myself as a good person. I've also seen too many dark things in Backlund.

"But this time, I feel that what Capim has done has exceeded my limits.

"It's hard to imagine over a hundred lives being sunk into that cold water like that. They struggled. They cried out.

"But they were too weak. Even their cries couldn't reach the shore."

After the living room fell quiet again for a second or two, Odys finally said, "If you run into danger, you can come find me. I'll do my best to keep you alive."

Come to think of it, Capim seemed close to getting himself killed. It didn't matter if I stepped on an 'autumn grasshopper' like him.

"Lion" stood up. "Thank you, thank you. I knew you wouldn't stand by and do nothing."

"Hound," "Peacock," and the others all shook their heads, seemingly unable to understand "Lion's" actions.

Xio gave "Leader" a deep look, then glanced at "Lion." Byron's determination exceeded her expectations, and so did "Leader's" promise.

This did not seem like something that would happen at a Beyonder gathering.

"Elephant" suddenly asked, "If something happened to 'Leader,' would the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery send someone else to host the gathering?"

"Peacock" looked at him. "Will you die if you don't speak?"

"Elephant" explained, "I just happen to have that question. After all, this gathering is quite good. At least, I feel rather safe attending it."

Odys smiled. "Perhaps they would send someone else."

That topic ended there, and the information trading soon resumed. After several transactions were successfully completed, one member said, "Everyone, there's something I find very puzzling. Why do Beyonders leave behind strange things after they die?"

Someone followed up by asking, "Did you kill a Beyonder?"

"I wasn't the one who killed them." That member did not elaborate.

At that moment, the member "Wild Wolf" said, "To be honest, I have similar doubts."

From the doubts surrounding that question, one could immediately tell which people were unaffiliated Beyonders and which belonged to organizations.

People like "Hound," "Peacock," "Wolverine," and "Elephant" clearly did not have such doubts.

"This information is very advanced," Odys said. "But it isn't impossible to trade. I can explain some of the principles involved. The total price is 500 pounds. This information is worth that price."

"Oh~"

No one had expected the information to be so expensive!

Fortunately, "Leader" had said "total price." This was a unique trading method of the Mysticism Research Society. As long as the buyers participating in the transaction pooled enough to meet the total price, the trade could proceed.

For example, if the total price was 500 pounds and ten people participated, each person would need to pay 50 pounds.

That made the amount acceptable.

Although Xio knew the concept of Beyonder Characteristics, she did not know the specific principles, so she participated in this transaction as well. She painfully paid 26 pounds and 7 soli for it.

But the moment she received the answer, she immediately felt it was worthwhile. The information given by "Leader" read: That is called a Beyonder Characteristic, and it is likely the most valuable thing on a Beyonder's body.

Beyonder Characteristics would not be destroyed or diminished. They merely transferred from one vessel to another...