"Am I right, buddy?"
Los Angeles, USA.
The Mafia man in a green suit looked at the newest group member, his expression eager.
Valmont.
A villain who had never forgotten his original aspirations.
Once he gathered all twelve talismans, he could rule the world. The first thing he did after getting them was give three to each of his four subordinates, then lead them on a raid of the vault.
General Shendu's mask could summon the Demon Shadow Army, one of the stronger forces within the Shadowkhan.
After getting the Mask, this guy's first thought was to loot all the cash in the city. Once he took it off, he planned to sell it to Jackie Chan for a high price.
With making money as his goal, he had cultivated the robbery trade in depth. He was professional enough to be called the Robbery Immortal.
"I'm telling you, as long as you follow me, you'll soon own the best house in Manhattan District."
The Mafia man made the promise solemnly.
Valmont thought highly of the group members.
In fact, he had tried recruiting people from the group.
But Megumin and Naruto Uzumaki were both good kids, Skadi ignored him as well, and Huihui was the only one who answered his summons.
After seeing Huihui erase the vault's main gate along with the entire vault using a single Explosion Magic, he promptly told her to get lost.
Although he deeply hated that indiscriminate destructive power, it also gave Valmont a certain understanding of his groupmates.
—This group was full of capable people.
Valmont had never been stingy with capable people.
Only—
It seemed he had recruited the wrong person this time.
Russell, who intended to return to the ranks of the people's rich, looked at Valmont, and his gaze shifted slightly.
The hell? You're asking Russell to work for you?
What could be tolerated, could not be tolerated; if uncle could tolerate it, auntie could not!
Valmont, I was the boss of this group!
"And then, become the bus driver on the bus rescued by the Dragon Team during the Apocalypse War with you?"
The young man declared someone's future.
Valmont, in Los Angeles, frowned at those words.
Wait, why did this newcomer know about the Dragon Team?
Could he be one of Jackie Chan's people?
With that thought, Valmont's expression turned grave.
"How did you know about the Dragon Team?"
Valmont was practically interrogating him.
Then his expression froze.
"Chat groups usually have a member who knows the stories of the other group members. Isn't that common knowledge?"
The young man spoke in a tone as though it were only natural.
"What the hell?!"
That was Valmont.
"Huh?"
That was Huihui.
"Brother Russell, what are you talking about? I don't really understand."
That was the bewildered Naruto Uzumaki.
"..."
That was Megumin.
"..."
That was Skadi, echoing her.
A single sentence silenced everyone in the group.
Mr. Transmigrator, well versed in human nature, looked at his groupmates, who were clearly stunned, and shook his head.
They were shocked by just that little revelation?
This generation of netizens really wasn't much.
"Wait, you mean my ending is becoming a bus driver?"
Valmont's expression turned horrified.
There was a lot of information in Russell's words just now.
Chat groups supposedly came equipped with someone who had prophetic knowledge, and in this group, that prophet was Russell.
In the ending he had seen, Valmont was stuck with a beat-up bus.
Valmont felt his heart trembling.
He feared neither Heaven nor Earth, only becoming a dead broke mutt.
Damn it, not that!
Falling so low as to become a bus driver... that, that should at least happen after eighteen reincarnations!
"Ding—Group member Valmont has sent you a red packet."
Russell looked at the private message Valmont had sent him, his expression blanking for a moment.
His greatest expectation of his groupmates was for them to work for him and help him make money.
Valmont's red packet caught him somewhat off guard.
Russell opened the red packet.
Inside was a talisman imprinted with a red dragon head.
The Dragon Talisman?
Russell's expression immediately became subtle.
It was the fiercest talisman among the Twelve Talismans, with magic that could grant its holder the power to burn and explode.
"You're willing to give me the Dragon Talisman, the one representing explosions?"
"This talisman may not be the strongest, but it's that old dragon Holy Lord's favorite. If you give it to me, you won't be able to account for it."
"If you regret it and want the talisman back, there's still time."
Russell gave Valmont a chance to take the talisman back.
"Hey, buddy, it looks like you really do know about my—no, our story."
Valmont looked utterly unconcerned.
No, rather, Russell pointing out the talisman's value made him happier.
—This guy wasn't just talking big. He really knew his story.
"Since you know so much, you should also understand that I don't want to follow Holy Lord anymore."
The reason Valmont had obeyed the great villain Holy Lord was that Holy Lord had promised him the legendary Golden Rooster King's Treasure if he helped gather the Twelve Talismans. But Holy Lord treated Valmont like a servant, and that attitude had left him dissatisfied.
Valmont shrugged and said,
"If it comes down to it, I can just say Jackie Chan stole the talisman."
That made sense.
As far as Holy Lord was concerned, any unfavorable development could be explained with, "Damn it, Jackie Chan must have done it."
"So, my friend, can you tell me why I ended up reduced to driving a bus?"
Valmont paced around his villa as he asked.
The Dragon Talisman was valuable.
But it was certainly not more important than his wealth and glory.
If sacrificing one Dragon Talisman could avert his future bankruptcy, then it was undoubtedly worth it.
After all, the talisman was not his.
Holy Lord Young Master would foot the bill.jpg.
"Because Holy Lord is famously untrustworthy even among demons."
Russell thought for a moment, then began trash-talking Valmont's boss.
?!!
"Holy Lord... has no credibility?"
"That's right. Even among demons, where everyone is a bastard, Holy Lord is the most untrustworthy one. He never intended to give you Golden Rooster King's Treasure. Later, he even took your subordinates away. With your assets exhausted and your men taken, it would be strange if you could maintain your current lifestyle."
The prophet's prediction made Valmont's face turn ashen.
He was exploiting my labor for free and stealing my men?!
Was that something a dragon would do?
"I'm going to kill that damned bastard!!"
To the confused looks of his three subordinates, Valmont directly pulled out a Laser Sword and prepared to fight Holy Lord to the death.
But after charging forward only a few meters, he saw the Shadow Clone Army patrolling ahead.
Valmont instantly calmed down.
"Oh, my buddy, do you know how to deal with Holy Lord?"
This money-grubbing Mafia man looked toward Russell and spoke in Liu Lao Si's voice.
Information was the sharpest blade.
If there was anyone he knew who could deal with that old dragon Holy Lord, it was probably this prophet.
"Well, in theory, a single Dragon Blast could send him back to Hell. But there are still Seven Demons in Hell. In the Script, that dragon was released twice through the demons' combined efforts, and both times he acted using your body... From that perspective, you and Holy Lord really are bound by an endless cursed fate."
"That old thief of a dragon, Holy Lord, is extremely hard to deal with."
Russell thought for a moment before speaking.
That bastard Holy Lord was way too good at hiding!
Valmont was dumbstruck.
And what the hell did an endless cursed fate mean?!!
Could it be that he was going to be used by Holy Lord for the rest of his life?
How miserable.
Valmont collapsed onto the sofa, utterly dejected.
Ah...
It felt like Valmont had become despondent in an instant.
Russell scratched his cheek. After all, he had accepted one of Valmont's Dragon Talismans, yet he had only told his customer that Holy Lord was his unavoidable fate. That seemed a little inappropriate.
So, what weaknesses did Holy Lord have?
"Well, don't be so sad. It's not like there isn't a solution."
Russell's words made Valmont seem to revive in an instant, and he leaped straight up from the sofa.
Before you continue