Mystical Journey

The other party was just a fighting enthusiast who tried to buy an antique from her, they had talked a bit at a private exhibition of hers, and upon discovering that they had quite a lot to talk about, they exchanged telephone numbers, so they were acquaintances at best.

’Hello? Who is this?’ There was a deep male voice from the other end of the call.

’Is this Mr Kaedun? Do you still remember me? I’m Barcetina.’

’Barcetina? Oh... it’s Miss Barcetina! How are you? Have you decided to sell that Mask? The price is negotiable.’ The other person’s tone grew passionate. Barcetina perked up, there was finally someone who did not reject her. After a series of neglected calls and direct rejections, her emotions had gotten more and more frustrated.

Her heart calmed down temporarily now, as though she had seen a loophole in her family’s web, before this even the people who had already agreed to exchange or sell antiques with her had all rejected her, even those who wanted her antiques all changed their tacks, they had either been pressured, or they were given something even better. She had finally found someone normal now.

’About the Mask, you’re... still willing... to buy it?’ Barcetina asked carefully.

’Of course!’ Kaedun replied matter-of-factly, ’Why don’t we meet up somewhere, you decide where! I’ll fly there as soon as possible.’

’Sure! Make it the Stone Gate Street in New York! There’s a pretty good restaurant there. When you’re there, give me a call, and I’ll tell you exactly where to go.’ Barcetina seemed to find a ray of hope, and her mood also brightened quickly.

"No problem!"

*****************

Several hours later.

Carlilo Cafe, Stonegate Street, New York

The impatient duo had both increased their speed in unison, and as a result, both of them arrived at the location more than an hour before their agreed time.

Sitting at the tables furthest inside the cafe, Baldy Kaedun and Barcetina stared at each other wordlessly, and for a while, they did not know what to say.

They sat at the right side of the cafe, and they could hear the sounds of other customers chatting around them, as well as the sounds of the waiters clearing tables and greeting others.

The cafe had pretty decent ambiance, illuminated with a soft, pale yellow light that created a warm and gentle mood.

"Looks like we were both early." Barcetina spoke, putting her hands on the table, as she noticed that he had also tried to speak before pulling back. "I’ll confirm with you again, you really are willing to make a deal with me?"

Baldy nodded.

"Of course, is there any problem?" He looked slightly confused.

"Alright, then, let’s discuss the details." For some reason, Barcetina felt as though her body was suddenly a lot lighter, like an insect trapped in a spider web that finally pulled away slightly from its death trap, and could finally catch its breath.

The two of them began to discuss the details about the Black Copper Mask’s market price, perhaps out of gratitude for this tiny lightness in her heart, Barcetina took the initiative to reduce the price by one third, confusing Baldy somewhat.

After some questioning, Barcetina finally told him about her situation.

"I want freedom! I want to do the stuff I like! But I can’t accomplish even something as simple as that." She lowered her head, solemn but with a slight hint of pain. "I’m now an upper-level professional wrestler, I don’t want to give that up just like that."

After understanding Barcetina’s situation, Baldy seemed to think of another friend of his, and there was a new hint of understanding in his eyes.

"I really sympathize with your situation, Miss." He thought about it, "If you just want some space that is not controlled by your family, if possible, perhaps I could introduce you a combat teacher, I guarantee this person won’t be controlled by your family."

Barcetina thought that his tone seemed to be slightly mysterious.

"What teacher? Are you sure you know how vast my family background is?"

For a moment there, she felt as though Baldy Kaedun’s identity had also gotten somewhat mysterious.

"You’ll like him." Baldy laughed, "But the teacher I’m introducing to you may be very strict, unless you really like fighting, and are willing to put in a lot of effort, it might be best if you don’t agree."

"No problem! What condition do you have in exchange?" Barcetina asked quietly.

"There is no condition, this person is also my teacher, he respects anyone who is dedicated to martial arts and strives to grow stronger, so he would be willing to teach them his techniques. But he has to be selective too, so if you don’t pass, he won’t teach you." Baldy was naturally talking about Garen, it was not just him, Jay, his wife Hera, and all of the other Nighthawk higher-ups were all looking for potential trainees for Garen, these trainees needed to love and aspire towards martial arts, and they also needed some background behind them, so that they were worth using and raising.

The poor became scholars and the rich became fighters, it was difficult to achieve any real accomplishments without money and resources.

Garen got the others to collect such trainees so that he could teach them all sorts of secret techniques as a basic means to control the way his power grew. By using the connections of these disciples of his, he could rapidly search for the Black Copper Masks all over the world.

Barcetina was just one of the many candidates.

The two of them settled on a time in the cafe, then Baldy left the place and got into the car his driver drove up to him. Only then did he take his phone out from his pocket and glance at the message on it, it was from Barcetina’s family, and it seemed to hint at a threat.

"They dare to threaten me? They really think we’re honest and legal salesmen." He laughed coldly.

"Wanna teach them a lesson?" The driver sniggered.

"Just give them a slight warning. After all, this ain’t our turf." Baldy replied casually. "Whoever sent the message, just destroy one of their arms, don’t go overboard."

"Got it!"

They had always been lawless bastards, as the bosses of the African mercenary scene, and with the terrifying reputation of the Nighthawk King behind them, most violent groups would also be wary of them, now that they were on someone else’s territory, they were polite enough not to provoke the hosts, but now someone dared to challenge them.

These mercenaries were all warmongers who carried their heads on their belts, they were extremely familiar with killing others, and some of them even moonlighted as assassins in their spare time, so now that someone had come barking at them of their own accord, these criminals that even the international police had several files on were naturally even more revved up and ready.

Coincidentally, now that the governments were busy with the Blood Breeds’ internal conflict, trying hard to suppress all those murder cases, this was the best time to make their move.

********************

Casually flipping through the photographs and information on the table, Garen looked through the ten potential candidates that his subordinates had picked out for him.

There were boys and girls, the ages ranging from their teens to twenty.

Putting their appearances aside, they all came from powerful backgrounds, and they were all very interested in fighting and combat, so they were perfect targets for him to control.

Under the lamplight, Garen picked out a few from the photos and put them aside, these were the ones he could do with or without, as for the rest, he could let Xander teach them alone, then he would just go and remove the side effects himself.

To these young people who were passionate about fighting, they craved adrenaline, liked to go on adventures and discover new things.

Faced with a secret technique that could make them terrifyingly stronger within a few short months, he believed that none of them would able to resist such a temptation.

They needed the primers so that they could truly walk the path of the Two-Faced Waterbird Fist, and so that they could see the effects of their strength. The intense pleasure during training that surpassed even drugs would surely keep a vice grip on the young people’s hearts.

’Your plan is not bad, and it will help expand your influence, but what is the point of such influence? It would take a bit too long, and Nadia could show up at any time. The scent of that coin is the location marker, and the will of the Nine-Headed Dragon’s Blood in your body is also a signboard to lead her to you. She will be here very soon. Then I’ll see how you deal with it.’

Black Sethe was raining on his parade beside him. He did not know that Garen could use the potential power in the Mask to strengthen himself.

Garen ignored him, this person got more excited the more attention he got.

He separated the photos into two stacks and asked the Nighthawk member waiting outside to come in, take the two stacks of photos and info out, and pass them to the specified people.

Only then did Garen stand up, leave the room, and enter a vast sealed room with lead-coated walls.

This room was one that he had specially made, the walls and floor were covered with a layer of silver lead, and there was a small square white platform in the middle of the room, with that yellow-copper Dragon Head Coin set on top like a shrine.

Closing the door with a bam, Garen walked towards the platform the coin was on.

Boom!

All of a sudden, Garen felt dizzy, and it was as though his vision went bleary, making him stop three meters away from the platform.

He did not know when it started, but there was a thin white mist coming from the platform, it was like water vapor, spiraling above the coin, slowly forming a terrifying dragon head image.

Roar!!

The dragon head roared at Garen, it evidently made no soundwaves, but Garen could still hear that deafening dragon’s roar.

’That’s the location signal the coin is constantly emitting, you can try to suppress it.’ Black Sethe suggested, ’That way you can effectively lengthen the time Nadia needs to get here.’

Garen nodded, he knew that he had been pulled into a dream by the coin’s scent, this coin was reacting more and more obviously recently, and the power it leaked out was also getting stronger, Nadia’s scent kept leaking from the coin, affecting all the surroundings and creatures around it.

After a maid was pulled into the world of dreams by that coin and nearly starved to death there, Garen got someone to create a quarantine room like this, specifically to cordon off the coin’s gradually growing forces and impact.

"You are merely a dead thing."

Garen’s eye narrowed, and he took one step forward.

Boom!!!

A large cloud of dark blue frost power burst out from behind him, the frost power rapidly converging and solidifying, forming an image of a terrifying Nine-Headed Dragon.

Roar!!!

The nine dragon heads roared ferociously at the white dragon head.

For a moment, the whole room was filled with the blue and white mist.

’You can’t stop me...’ Nadia’s voice came from the white dragon head, filled with killing intent.

Garen ignored her completely, sitting down cross-legged, closing his eyes slightly, the dark blue mist behind him beginning to surround the white mist emitted by the coin.