Silent Crown

by Feng Yue

  “What a nice young man,” someone praised. He placed his bowler hat on the table and sat down beside Brady. “A lawyer graduated from the National University and working for the government; young and accomplished. In fact, he is highly regarded by his superiors. He should be sent to the Eastern Indian Trade Company soon, right? What a bright future!”

  Hearing someone speak of his son-in-law, Brady instantly grew proud. However, when he turned around, he was met by an unfamiliar young man. He had an enthusiastic smile that made one feel happy just looking at it. However, this was a wedding, but he was dressed entirely in black as if he was attending a funeral. As he smiled, his long and narrow eyes squinted, hiding the coldness within.

  “Who are you?” Brady furrowed his brows. He looked to his guards; the burly men paced through the crowd but did not acknowledge the youth’s presence.

  “Mr. Brady, please do not be nervous.” The youth shrugged. “Me? I’m just a guest at this wedding.”

  “Are you a musician?”

  Seeming to understand something, Brady’s expression darkened.

  Many unaccomplished musicians in Avalon would use their position to get free food at others’ ceremonies and ask for money. Others might be helpless against this, but if this guy planned on trying this at Brady’s event, he was at the wrong place!

  He coldly pulled a checkbook from his pocket and scribbled a large sum. Tossing it over, he said, “Sir, today is my daughter’s big day. There are many members of the Musician Division here today as well. I hope you’ll understand and not try to destroy your own future.”

  “Ah, I’m sorry, you seem to have misunderstood me. I am not here to cheat you.” The young man smiled awkwardly and pulled a small box from his arms. “Today is my first visit and it’s coincidentally your daughter’s big day. I did not have much time to prepare a gift. I hope you like it.”

  “A gift?” Brady scoffed and took the box. What kind of gift would people who came for free food give?

  “Won’t you take a look?” The man’s eyes were eager.

  Brady scoffed again. If the man wanted to be humiliated then there was no harm in looking. However, he froze after he opened the box. In the box was a large egg-sized ruby. Its color was flawless. He could not find something at this level even in Avalon’s best jewelry store.

  But why did this look…so familiar?

  He picked up the gemstone in confusion and felt that it was wet as if it had been dipped in water. His thumb came away scarlet…it was blood! It finally dawned on him that this gem was the one that the Indian merchant wore on his head and valued more highly than life itself!

  Chilled, he yelped. “You—what did you do to him?” He stood up abruptly and wanted to retreat but realized that he could not move anymore. His yelp seemed to have been swallowed by something. No one noticed them.

  “Sit down.” The young man looked up at him. His long and narrow eyes were open now. His pupils were pure black, like a wind tunnel leading toward somewhere. They were terrifying. His voice was not gentle; it was an irresistible command.

  Brady softened involuntarily and collapsed onto his chair. He finally realized there was a small note on the bottom of the box. The words on it were sharp yet inexplicably elegant: Your loyal friend, Sherlock…

  “You—you…” His pupils constricted instantly; he almost suffocated. Here, it felt as if he had fallen into an icebox. The legend, the shadow shrouding Avalon, the controller of the dark rules…truly existed!

  “Do not say the name aloud, sir.” The young man casually raised his forefinger and placed it before his mouth. “This name doesn’t suit this joyful event. Just view me as a wedding guest.”

  Brady shuddered. He wanted to yell for help but his instincts told him that it was best to sit quietly. He gazed around with his periphery vision and discovered that everyone was still bustling around. No one noticed them as if they had been isolated and became a lonely and hopeless island.

  A few men in musician robes furrowed brows. They had been invited to this wedding and looked up after sensing the aether waves. When they saw the young man at the table and the trademark hat on the table, they blanched. They quickly looked away and pretended that nothing had happened. Some even rose and left quietly.

  Seeing this situation, Brady was completely hopeless. Drenched in sweat, his face paled and he slumped into his seat, almost slipping off. In the crowd, the blissful Donna looked back. Seeing her father’s expression was off, she walked over. “Father, are you alright? Do you feel ill?”

  Brady’s lips quivered and he tries to speak, but no words come out. His daughter’s concern deepened his fear. She should not have come over.

  Donna, go! Hurry and go…he yelled in his mind.

  “Relax, sir. A wedding is a sacred ceremony and only happens once in a lifetime. Do not act out of sorts here and do not disappoint your daughter,” a hoarse voice sounded in his mind. The young man drinking tea glanced over with dark eyes. “She doesn’t know that you’re working with the Indian drug smuggler, right?”

  It felt like Brady was struck by lightning. He forced himself to calm down and placated his daughter gentle. However, his fear grew. “What…do you want?” he gathered his courage and asked. He waited for his final result.

  Before, the Vengeful Spirit was just a legend. However, starting last month, it became a nightmare that haunted everyone. One month—apparently only one month—after the Shaman disappeared, hundreds of mafia leaders who dared to have their own ideas were personally thrown into the sewer by the Vengeful Spirit.

  He was extremely cold and cruel. Apparently, everyone in the family, regardless of age, would disappear. Some were killed in horrible ways as a warning. The site was a total nightmare.

  Brady had always thought that a downtown redneck would not dare to do anything to an official like him. However, the man was now right in front of him.

  “I am an important figure of the Anglo customs department!” His voice shook. “If you do something to me, the country will not let you go!”

  “Has my reputation really become that bad?” The young man was stunned but then he chuckled wryly. He muttered to himself, “That Watson, what did he do in my name?”

  Before Brady could reply, the priest walked over and asked, “Mr. Brady, can the wedding begin now?”

  Brady looked back stiffly and gaped at the priest. He did not know what to say. “Father, in just a moment. I still need to speak to this man.”

  The man gazed at the priest and the priest froze in place. Then the man asked, “Are you religious?”

  Brady nodded stiffly.

  “Did you know that there’s a passage in the Bible like this?”

  The young man rose slowly and took the Bible from the priest. He flipped carelessly to the middle and read a passage to the stunned man. His expression was solemn and powerful; his voice was raspy like scraping metal.

  “Thou shalt hold the self-evident truth in awe and advocate justice; this is well. Thou shalt love thy neighbors as thyself; do no injustice. Thou shalt know sinners suffer. He carries poison and nurtures nothingness. His flame is short-lived and his light does not shine.” After finishing, he closed the Bible and looked down at Brady. “Do you understand what I mean?”

  There was no smile in his eyes. It was replaced by metallic fierceness tinged with blood. Brady could not meet his eyes. The man had stopped talking but the raspy voice still echoed in Brady’s mind like thunder. It pounded at his last bit of sanity until he practically broke down and cried.

  “What…what do you want…”

  “Brady, I want you to be a good father.” The young man petted his hair sympathetically, like a saint petting his lamb. “Not a dead father, but a live one with a good career and family. Be a good man and make your family proud. You’ve made many mistakes but you can still survive to old age with a large family and die happily. Are you willing to be this type of father?”

  “I…yes!” The next moment, Brady nodded wildly
as if he had received salvation and choked out, “I’m willing!”

  “Good.” The young man nodded in satisfaction. “A wise and just choice, sir. Just as the legends say, you will receive happiness due to your reverence of the self-evident truth.”

  Putting on his hat, he gave Brady one last glance. In that moment, all barriers seemed to disappear. The hustle bustle and blessings of the outside world finally traveled to his ears. Hearing the sounds, Brady’s sweat poured out and he practically passed out.

  It had only been half a minute but it felt as if he had returned to the world from hell. He was so happy he could cry because the sudden grim reaper had bid farewell.

  -

  Amidst the solemn music of the wedding march, the guests watched as a young man with a Bible replaced the priest and stood between the couple.

  “It is obvious that you love each other and will last for a long time.” Under everyone’s shocked scrutiny, the young man held Donna’s hand with his left and the man’s hand with his right. He asked Donna, “Donna, do you take this man as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, to love him, care for him, respect him, accept him, until death do you part?”

  “I…I…” Donna looked below the stage. Seeing her father nod, she let go of her worries and gazed at her lover with gentle eyes. “I do.”

  “What about you, Groom?” The man who had replaced the priest looked to the groom.

  Faced with the solemn question, the groom puffed up his chest and replied, “I do, sir! I love Donna and I’m willing to protect you with my life!”

  “Good, all of your words are genuine.” Pleased, the man placed Donna’s hand into the groom’s. “I am overjoyed in seeing you vow to love each other. I now declare thee as husband and wife. Please exchange rings and the groom may kiss the bride.”

  Under everyone’s gazes, the shy bride and groom exchanged rings. As the people applauded and cheered, they kissed deeply. Today was their day of joy and this moment would never be forgotten. The young man who had overseen the wedding had now disappeared.

  312 I Wish You Luck

  Outside the door, the young man with a bowler hat climbed into the carriage. One side of the seats in the carriage had been removed and replaced with a wheelchair. The young man on the chair was reading a book. He had plain looks. Other than his defined features, he had no other unique points. However, sometimes his squinted eyes would flash with terrifying steel gray light.

  “Aren’t your tricks too gentle?” He closed his book and glanced at Ye Qingxuan.

  “It’s just a small punishment.” Ye Qingxuan lay on the seat lazily and fanned himself with the hat. “And anyway, I’ve already attended four funerals today. You should at least let me relax at a wedding, right, Mr. Watson?”

  Watson shook his head. “When you wallow in that fake mercy every day, don’t you feel like you’re slacking on your duties as the manager of the illegal trade in Anglo?”

  “Watson, you’re so heartless.”

  “Sorry, that’s how I am.” Watson scoffed. “If you aren’t willing, you don’t have to throw everything to me. I’ll get onto a ship to Wales, buy a manor, and retire.”

  “Ah, don’t be like that. Wales is so boring. They only have sheep there. And are you sure you can move around like this?” Ye Qingxuan shrugged. “Don’t you think Avalon is beautiful in comparison? There’s work every day and money to take every month!”

  Who do you think did this to me?! Watson’s mouth dropped open but he did not know how to respond. Never in his life had he met someone who spoke so shamelessly while pretending he was doing it for the interest of everyone.

  After a long while, Watson sighed dejectedly. “Ye Qingxuan, let’s fight. I really want to kill you right now.”

  A blue firebird jumped out from his sleeve and sang beautifully.

  “To be honest, I just love it when you’re angry and want to kill me.”

  “Where did you learn to talk like that?”

  “That’s just how I am,” Ye Qingxuan answered. A thick investigation report was thrown at his face in response.

  “This is what you wanted—the investigation on the parliament.” Watson clenched his jaw. “People like you cause messes when you’re bored. Please find something to worry about!”

  Ye Qingxuan got up and flipped through the report. His expression changed subtly. “The White Crow really exists?”

  Watson replied lightly, “The parliament looks like a loose organization that works in the interest of many people. However, there is someone in charge. The participants provide the resources and receive dividends. After aggregating a good portion of Avalon’s resources, all the power obviously goes to the one in charge.”

  “Using other people’s hens to lay eggs, right?”

  “That’s one way to put it. It seems that everyone in the parliament has autonomy, but that’s just the appearance. Once you look under the disguise, you realize that the Parliament is just a dictatorship. All the true power lies in the hands of one person.”

  Ye Qingxuan glanced at him. “Isn’t that you?”

  “You think too highly of me.” Watson scoffed. “The Adrian family has fallen for so many years. How would I have the capitol to be the leader? Even my mask was given to me by my father after he failed resonance and was upset. The one who helped me to my position was White Crow.”

  Ye Qingxuan furrowed his brows. “The former leader?”

  Watson smiled. “Yes. In fact, he found the dark musician to host my fallen ritual. He helped open the gates to power for me. To be honest, I’m a bit grateful to him.”

  “Did he order you to do everything?”

  “No, he disappeared after he handed me the parliament. Maybe he was happy to see what I wanted to do.” Watson shrugged. “Like you, I once secretly ordered men to track him.”

  “And?”

  “He’s vanished off the face of the planet,” Watson said lightly. “Both White Crow and the people who searched for him…they all seemed to have evaporated.”

  “White Crow put you, someone who does everything for power and authority, into the position to replace him. He must want the results you gave him.” Ye Qingxuan pondered. “But if Anglo is destroyed by a natural catastrophe, everyone will be infected. This will turn into a world of demons. How does he benefit from this?”

  “Who knows?” Watson replied. “There are more than enough saints who want to save the world and madmen who want to destroy it.”

  Ye Qingxuan flipped through the files wordlessly. After a long while, he looked up. “According to your investigation, the last time the White Crow showed himself was more than a decade ago?”

  “Yes.” Watson nodded. “After that, he chose me and went behind the scenes. Five years later, he disappeared. Do you have any clues?”

  “No, but this timestamp is meaningful.” Coldness flashed past Ye Qingxuan’s eyes.

  Was that not the time his family was massacred and exiled? What role did the White Crow play in this?

  Sensing the heaviness in Ye Qingxuan’s heart, Watson sighed. “The parliament is already destroyed. All the smuggling channels are either divided up or closed down. The rest are under our control. Even if the White Crow reappears, he won’t be able to do much. If I were him, I would definitely have not showed up during recent times. Ye Qingxuan, you’re doing unnecessary work.”

  “Unnecessary work is better than doing nothing.” Ye Qingxuan tossed the files aside. “Tell them to continue surveillance. I don’t believe someone can just evaporate like that. When I catch him, I’ll show him.”

  The coldness in his tone stunned Watson. He closed the book in his lap and took off his glasses, rubbing his nose. “Your most important task right now isn’t to waste time on meaningless stuff. Have you finished reading the music theory your professor gave you?”

  “I don’t have much trouble on Mind and Illusion.” Ye Qingxuan shrugged. “Right now,
I’m reviewing some stuff for the School of Revelations. I hope I don’t fall short.”

  Watson wrinkled his nose. “It’s my first time seeing someone who learns from so many schools.”

  “Isn’t the School of Royalty like this?”

  “The School of Royalty is just Anglo’s own School of Summoning. The main focus is still Summoning, but we put the characteristics of other schools onto our phantom beasts, like this…” The robin in Watson’s hand flapped its wings and flames jumped.

  “I put elements of the School of Modification into my phantom beast. The limit is nine hundred and forty elements. If I utilize this bird well, I can easily burn down a whole house. In other words, I can destroy this entire street with just a wave of my hands.”

  “Oh?” Ye Qingxuan was stunned; his eyes were impressed. “That sounds cool.”

  “Thanks.” Watson’s expression was cold. He did not seem happy at all. “The most mainstream schools right now are the schools of Modification, Summoning, and Choir. After all, the first is the cradle of battle musicians; the second researches natural catastrophes and demon nature; and the School of Choir studies life. The more medical advancements there are, the more stable their theories, and the more branches they have.

  “But the ones you chose to study…perfectly avoided all the realistic schools.”

  Hearing this, Ye Qingxuan finally reacted and counted on his fingers, “Abstinence, Revelations, Mind, Illusion…hey, you’re right. I didn’t learn any of the three. Can I still start now?”

  “In your dreams,” Watson scoffed. “You think you’re a freak like Naberius and can change schools as easily as changing clothes? Of the seven schools, Modification counters Illusion, Summoning counters Mind, Choir and Revelations don’t counter each other as much but it’s still hard to combine them.

  “Plus, the schools you’ve learned already counter Abstinence. If you want to learn new music theory, it’ll be a feat to remain sane. If you want to learn other schools, wait until you reach the ‘completion stage’ before trying for the Scepter level.”