A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines - C.262: The Indomitability Witnessed by the Snake - III

"If you don't mind," Hyena slightly bowed, "I would like to give it a try."

Ansel laughed heartily, "You are straightforward, I like that, so I'll be straightforward with you."

"Fifty percent."

The little-known Mr. Faust casually said, "I'll take fifty percent of your revenue. In exchange, you can come to me with any problems on the backstage level."

What Hyena lacked was not muscle, nor resources, but a backing that could help him maintain his position.

This black market was ostensibly divided among four leaders, but in reality, it was nothing more than a backyard for the nobility and extraordinary beings to seize benefits.

Ordinary people and ordinary extraordinary beings steal and rob, risking their lives, exchanging for insignificant wealth and resources here, while the big figures behind the scenes can mock their weakness, doing nothing and extracting wealth they could never earn in a lifetime.

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Some people are not even for the money, they just find it interesting to watch these people struggle in the great capital amidst chaos, that's all.

"Your generosity and tolerance... move me deeply," Hyena bowed deeply, "But I dare not monopolize these riches, Mr. Faust, please take seventy percent of all revenues, the remaining thirty percent is more than enough for me."

This was not a lie from Hyena, because the division between him and the Duke of Luminaris was seventy-thirty.

And he was not ecstatic because Ansel proposed an "equal" division, on the contrary, Hyena was very clear... When talking with these big figures, the last thing one should think of is considering oneself "equal" to them.

Inequality is absolutely correct, absolutely reasonable. When facing a top-tier fifth-stage like Faust, comparable to a grand duke, if necessary, it is not wrong to abandon all dignity.

This is the absolute crushing at the extraordinary level, the stark difference in the level of life.

Mortals submit to the extraordinary, and the extraordinary, submit to higher-level extraordinary beings.

This is the world... an eternal truth.

"Since you've said so..."

Mr. Faust pretended to think for a while, then shook his head and laughed, "Then I'll accept your kindness — Seri."

He slightly lifted his chin, "Give Mr. Hyena some confidence."

"Eh, ah?" The girl, who had been maintaining a cold and powerful image when she didn't speak, was full of naivety when she opened her mouth, "How to give?"

"Let Mr. Hyena see... how many punches it would take for you to kill him — don't really do it, just imply it."

Listening to the first half of the sentence, Seraphina was eager to try, almost rushing out to punch Hyena in the head, but when she heard the second half of the sentence, the girl wilted, muttering, "I know, master."

She was quite unhappy, walked straight towards the increasingly tense Hyena, and stopped about three meters in front of him.

"...Miss, how should I address you?" Hyena tried to squeeze a smile on his fierce face.

"Well... if you're not prepared,"

Seraphina tilted her head, "You'll die with one punch."

Before Hyena could respond, Seraphina had already stepped forward, and then —

Boom!

The wall of the private box was directly blown out by the violent punch, and the wall behind the hole was blown into a terrifying crater.

"..."

Hyena, who turned his head to the side and had a bloodstain slowly appearing on his face, almost had his heartbeat stop at that moment.

"Seri." The master of this vicious dog reproached, "I said, you can't really do it."

"I didn't."

The girl said innocently, "I knew he could dodge it, so it's like I didn't really do it, right?"

Knowing you would dodge, then naturally knowing where to hit.

"You really are, unprepared at all."

In an almost instantaneous leap across the three-meter distance, Seraphina, who had just delivered a swift punch, shook her head and withdrew her hand. "If I had aimed for the head, you would have been dead with one punch. That's not exciting!"

This left Seraphina feeling somewhat sad.

This Hyena seemed to be a fourth-stage, likely a low-quality one at that. But even in the empire, fourth-stage masters were not abundant.

Where, then, could she find prey worthy of her consumption, prey that would allow her to grow?

"Have Seri instilled confidence in you, Mr. Hyena?"

"... I have always had unwavering faith in your strength, Faust."

Ansel chuckled, "That's good, because I have a task for you."

Hyena, without even the time to wipe the blood from his face, bowed deeply. "Please, command me as you wish."

"The slave market suffered a heavy blow three years ago, but you've managed to revive it, haven't you?"

As Ansel moved towards the door, Seraphina and Marlina quickly followed. Hyena, however, was left pondering the meaning behind Ansel's words, not daring to look up.

"Yes, it was merely a stroke of luck," he answered cautiously.

"I believe... this market can grow much larger, even more so. And since you're the one leading it, why not make it your own?"

Ansel's casual tone sent the Hyena's heart racing. He fell silent for a moment, then spoke in a slightly hoarse voice, "But the risk is great, Lord Ansel. Not only would I risk offending other hidden powers, but there's also the possibility..."

"The possibility of provoking that young Hydral, who is not fond of the slave trade."

"You've already done it, so what are you afraid of?"

"Lord, monopolizing the market and having multiple powers are not the same... Of course, it's just a suggestion," he quickly added, "If you need me to do this, Hyena, me, will not refuse."

"Then go ahead, make sure to collect all the slaves. They are valuable goods and assets. I don't want any damage, understand?"

Leaving these words behind, the mysterious Fraust departed with the two women by his side.

"Boss..."Hyena's confidant whispered, "This Faust, there are too many suspicions—"

The Hyena cut him off with a slap, staring at him expressionlessly.

After a long pause, he slowly said, "Now, mobilize all our forces immediately. Clear all the sheep pens in the black market and replace them with our people."

"Now?"

"Heh... Is there a better time than now, when everyone thinks I'm done for?"

The desperation he had felt when he was cornered; the confidence the miraculous turn of events had given him; and the subtle "guidance" from that Lord Faust… all led Hyena to make what he believed was the right choice.

*

"Ansel, Ansel!" In the deserted corridor, Seraphina whispered into Ansel's ear, "Why do this? Why not just let me beat those guys and throw them out on the street? You had me protect Marlina, which means you were planning to take action directly, right?"

"Because I suddenly thought of something," Ansel calmly replied, "There are some things that even power cannot defy."

Marlina, who had committed all of Ansel's words to heart, felt a slight flutter in her chest — things that even power cannot defy...

In this world, anyone could say such a thing, but for Mr.Ansel, a divine being...

The power of the empress allowed her to control everything, turning the empire into her plaything. Mr.Ansel also possessed equal power. Could the thing that madeMr.Ansel say such words be... the key to making him give up something?

While Marlina was pondering, Ansel had already started to chuckle:

"So, instead of using power to achieve temporary peace, it's better to solve the problem once and for all... Well, it's not very likely, though."

"Lawrence."

"Oh! Do you need me to do something, Young lord?"

"Take us to a high place where we can overlook the black market. Let's watch a good show."

Ansel murmured softly:

"Let me experience once again, that perspective."

The black street, the black market.

Below the city wall of the upper city area, bordering the lower city area, was a region where chaos was the order.

Various forces, big and small, hidden powers, this "market", this "street"... its existence was not natural, but because someone needed it, wanted it to exist. It swallowed the darkness and sin of the capital, taking root in the corner under the city wall.

It was like a small world, manipulated by people in terms of environment, rules, and even development… an absurd world.

Just like the world in Ansel's eyes.

Only this time, he was not a tiny speck of dust between heaven and earth.

He was the "indomitable" force, looking down on this absurd world from a high place.

*