Old Gods, Rapid-Fire Guns, and Prohibition

Chapter 280 [Sleight of Hand]

Ultimately, Trafford found nothing.

Even though he had already used all the connections he could.

The docks, all the entrances and exits—everywhere you could think of—but the group of people seemed to have vanished into thin air.

"Who could it be?"

Trafford could not accept this.

It was like watching a duck that was almost in my hands fly away.

More importantly, if those people can leave, then Blackbird Johnny and West can leave too.

What will he use to explain himself then?

Without West's corroborating testimony, it would be difficult to convict Joseph.

What he couldn't accept the most was that Joseph was alright.

"What do we do now? Tell me, what do we do now?!"

He growled furiously at Trevor.

What was supposed to be a perfect final battle may now turn into trouble for him.

He didn't have much time.

"Relax, my dear Inspector. Those people couldn't just vanish into thin air. The fact that you haven't found them anywhere proves that they haven't left the city. Do you think it's possible for someone to take away so many ordinary people, including patients, right under the noses of the Royal Guard?"

Trevor, however, was not that excited.

His words calmed Trafford down a bit. Indeed, if the other party really had such abilities, then the Kingdom Protection Bureau would have no reason to exist.

"Moreover, I left a death mark on Johnny Blackbird, and the mark tells me that he is still in the capital."

Trevor said again.

"Then where is he?"

"I don't know. I can only sense his approximate location, but the capital is too big."

This is good news.

As long as the other party is still in the capital, there is still a chance.

"Perhaps we should start from the source. For example, the guy who killed me once, he seemed to have used a sharp and pointed weapon, a rapier?"

"Sword?"

Trafford raised an eyebrow.

This is of great symbolic significance; there are very few people in the kingdom who can use or are skilled with rapiers.

They were mostly old noble families, especially meritorious nobles, who had connections with the military.

Could it be that……

Trafford became excited again. If that were really the case, wouldn't it be possible to directly uncover the connection between the other party and that person?

That would be no small feat.

----------

Just as Trafford and Trevor were filled with speculation.

Actually, Ethan and Johnny Blackbird were in a place they would never have imagined.

The underground of the underground hospital.

There is also a space here that is not too cramped, and the patients are all placed here.

"Fortunately, when this place was built, we took precautions and constructed it accordingly."

Johnny Blackbird looked up at the ceiling and realized that no one was up there anymore.

They escaped unscathed.

This outcome was roughly what Ethan had anticipated; it was impossible to simply take these people away.

The Royal Security Bureau, as the most terrifying state apparatus in the country, is not so easily fooled. His idea was to first create the illusion of leaving, and then figure out a way to do it.

When he first came here, he sensed that there was something wrong with the underground space, and that there was another level.

Using this layer, he then invoked the authority of the King of the North Sea to create a barrier that wasn't too strong, somewhat similar to the method Sandro used to seal off Winster, except that it only covered a very small area.

So when Trevor and his men arrived the second time, they found nothing and assumed the man had simply left.

"What should we do now?"

Clearly, leaving the people here isn't an option; they must be moved as soon as possible. "Attract their attention."

Ethan raised one finger.

"Make a scene?"

Johnny Blackbird remembered what Ethan had said earlier.

"answer."

Ethan nodded, but his eyes were still fixed on Johnny Blackbird.

His meaning was clear: take me to see the people behind you first.

"You haven't seen them off yet."

West was unwilling.

"It's already been sent away once."

Ethan refused to back down.

Finally, Johnny Blackbird stepped forward and said, "Okay, okay, I'll take you to see them tonight, alright?"

The deal is considered done.

Ethan suddenly became curious: "Why did you choose me in the first place, and what did you plan to have me do?"

“Ethan, you are the King of the Underworld in Winston, you possess immense power in the North, and we desire that power. Are you satisfied?”

West was somewhat annoyed.

"Do you really intend to rebel?"

"It's not treason, it's change. The world shouldn't be like this now."

West was clearly quite excited; she seemed to genuinely possess some kind of idealism.

In contrast, Johnny Blackbird remained calm, seemingly only doing so because West wanted him to.

"So who exactly is behind you?"

Just as you think.

"The Second Prince?"

"No, how could that be? How could such a big shot personally get involved? Getting caught would mean the end of everything."

West gave a mocking smile as she said this.

Ethan roughly understood.

In reality, they are not of one mind; they are in a state of mutual exploitation.

When asked again, West fell silent.

As evening approached, time gradually turned into night.

West stayed in the underground hospital to care for the patients with the nurses, while Ethan and Johnny Blackbird headed out of the hospital.

The night was already deep.

I don't know if it's because the Royal Guard has determined that this place has no value, so there are no Royal Guard personnel left in this slum.

At least this place seems safe.

Johnny Blackbird took Ethan to a place that seemed to be his hidden base, where a lot of guns and several vehicles were hidden.

While preparing the guns, Johnny Blackbird, fiddling with the Winster typewriter, said to Ethan, "I heard you designed this gun yourself?"

"I guess so. How's that?"

"That's awesome. I never thought guns could be used like this. I love the rat-a-tat-tat sound. But I have to make a suggestion: the range is really not enough, and the accuracy is a bit lacking."

Johnny Blackbird clearly really liked the Winster typewriter and kept expressing his opinions and suggestions.

Finally, he said, "By the way, if there's a chance in the future, could you custom-make one for me, and name it Blackbird Johnny?"

"if it is possible."

Ethan didn't refuse.

After Johnny Blackbird had chosen his weapons, they drove off in a relatively inconspicuous car.

The car drove through the less bustling western district and arrived directly in the central district, where the person they were going to visit tonight was supposed to be staying.

Ethan's prior assessment was correct.

(End of this chapter)