Goddess Kaleidoscope

End of this chapter

Because Ludd's reaction was so bland, or even nonexistent, Katie was both surprised and somewhat at a loss.

It felt like she had confidently unleashed her most prized ultimate move, expecting to wipe out her opponent in one combo, only to have the word "Immune" appear above their head. The scene was incredibly awkward!

Katie was completely baffled. She thought to herself, "Are all screenwriters like this? Sans is like this, and so is this Hugo in front of me. Are you guys obsessed with writing? Something's gone wrong, isn't it?"

At this moment, Lude, feeling the atmosphere was a bit awkward, coughed lightly and took the initiative to ask Katie.

"Um... Director Katie, what do you need me for? And if I remember correctly, the person I arranged to meet here today is Simon, the director of the Cecily Opera Company, right?"

Hearing Ludwig's question, Katie snapped out of her reverie and remembered the purpose of her trip.

So Katie quickly adjusted her mindset, comforting herself that it was just a small mistake, and that the guy was probably just a bit slow, definitely not because she wasn't charming enough!

Katie, her smile returning, sat back down on the sofa and looked at Ludd.

"Mr. Hugo may not know this, but due to Simon's mismanagement of the troupe, he transferred the Cecily Dance Company to me a few days ago. I am now their new manager. Since you wish to cooperate with the Cecily Dance Company, then naturally you should talk to me!"

As Katie spoke, she took out a transfer agreement and placed it on the table for Lud to see.

With Katie's abilities, taking over the Cecily Dance Troupe, a small group of less than twenty people, was effortless. She didn't even spend a penny; she simply had a new friend accompany her to visit the former troupe leader, Simon, and he obediently put his fingerprint on the contract.

Lude vaguely guessed that Katie hadn't used any legitimate means to take over the Cecily Dance Troupe. Although he disliked this behavior, he didn't show his displeasure on his face. He thought that since this woman had taken the initiative to come to him, and he would have to come into contact with her sooner or later, he might as well take advantage of the situation now.

At that moment, Katie suddenly clapped her hands, and the door on the other side behind her opened in response, with several burly men with fierce faces filing in from outside.

Seeing this, Alvit, who was following behind Lud, quickly reached for the hilt of her sword, as if to step forward to protect Lud. However, Lud waved her hand, telling her to calm down. Although the burly men who had suddenly rushed in were obviously not good people, they were not carrying weapons, but rather fruit platters and teapots.

Katie's intention in deliberately having such people work as waiters couldn't be clearer. After the thugs put down the teapot and fruit platter, they quickly left through the back door, while Katie observed Lude and the female guard with him with great interest.

Because Alvitt's figure and appearance were quite outstanding, in order to avoid causing unnecessary commotion and onlookers outside, Ludwig specially made her wear a silver mask that only revealed her eyes, and at the same time, she wore a long cloak that reached 20 centimeters below her knees, which neither hindered her movement nor concealed her figure.

Therefore, it wasn't until Alvitt almost drew her sword that Katie realized that the silver-masked guard who hadn't uttered a sound since arriving at the scene was actually a woman. Underneath her cloak was a set of black, tight-fitting leather armor, and the perfect curves she glimpsed when she reached for her sword just now made Katie a little jealous.

No wonder she's resistant to seduction; she's got some top-notch women by her side! It's just a pity the other woman is wearing a mask so Katie can't see her face, and she doesn't know if this female bodyguard looks as good as she does.

Clearly, Katie misunderstood the relationship between Lude and Alvitt. Having met many men, Katie no longer believed that a purely platonic superior-subordinate relationship existed in the world, so she naturally assumed that there must be something going on between the two.

"Please sit down, Mr. Hugo. I've been wanting to meet you for days and have a good chat. These are all fruits and herbal teas imported from the Empire. Let's eat and talk."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Of course, we'll talk about things related to theater. I'm an actor, and you're a playwright, so I think we'll definitely have a lot in common. Of course, if you'd like, you can also talk to me about what you're planning to discuss with the former troupe leader, Simon. I'm all ears."

Katie knew about Lude's plan to talk to Simon. Although she wasn't exactly a big shot in Yanmu City, she was a powerful figure in the entertainment industry. She had privately called out many small theater troupes that Lude had previously contacted, so she had a vague idea of ​​what Lude wanted to do.

She was more interested in the new machine than the new script.

Katie is a smart woman, or at least she thinks so. She keenly saw potential in this machine... the potential to create a monopoly.

Before this, Katie could only dominate the Tianlai Opera House, the largest stage in the city. But if she had that kind of projector to make her plays into films, she could also take over other small and medium-sized opera houses. The entertainment industry in Yanmu City would become Katie's domain.

With such an excellent script and such a powerful machine in his hands, Katie naturally wouldn't stand idly by and watch him side with Servis.

“Mr. Hugo, to be honest, I really feel sorry for you. Servis and her ridiculous Rainbow Circus are utterly despicable. Such low-class people are not worthy of working with a talent like you. They will only tarnish your and your teacher's scripts and hold you back!”

"Then, in your opinion, who should I cooperate with?"

"Me? My Feixia Opera Troupe is the most powerful opera troupe in the entire Yanmu City. This is not boasting, but recognition from the audience. We have the best actors, musicians, and dancers, and we have been cooperating with the largest local opera house, Tianlai Opera House, for many years. Every production of ours is a huge hit. Moreover, if you cooperate with me, I can also help you open up connections in the local high society and invite them to support your new play. Can she, Servis, do that?"

"It sounds like cooperating with you would be entirely beneficial?"

"Of course! As long as you nod your head and get rid of Servis, our Feixia Dance Troupe is willing to do everything in our power to put a great play like 'The Cave King' on the stage, and not just on the stage of the Sky Opera House, but on the stage of the Heavenly Melody Opera House. You can ask any random person on the street in the city how big the difference is!"

End of this chapter

After Katie finished speaking, she saw Lud sitting across from her, looking thoughtful and silent with his head down. She thought she had successfully persuaded him and was about to make a final push to take down Hugo on the spot and drag him back to her "nest" to devour him completely when Lud suddenly raised his head and said with a smile.

"What you just said is indeed very appealing, but... I'm sorry, I can't refuse."

"Hey! Why?"

"Because I'm a rather assertive person, I tend to be attracted to those who are assertive, and I don't really like working with assertive people. I think we might not get along, so after thinking about it carefully, I'd better not."

"Just because of this?"

"Ah."

Ludd nodded, then got up to leave. After confirming several times that he was not joking, Katie's expression first turned to surprise, then quickly to anger. She felt that Ludd was completely toying with her, and couldn't help but threaten him in a fit of exasperation.

"Mr. Hugo, I advise you to reconsider, for the sake of your script and for your own sake. Don't say I didn't mean to warn you, this is Yanmu City, and the waters run deep here!"

"It's alright, I'm a pretty good swimmer. I have something to do, so I'll be going now."

He gave Yarvit a look, and she turned and opened the door. Just as Lud had expected, a group of burly men with fierce eyes stood outside the door. The leader was a mixed-race man with a blue face and fangs. Judging from his non-human features, he was most likely of beastman blood.

Lude had seen many of these mixed-race children at the hands of "Snake Woman" Sherry, and only after asking Trin did he learn that a considerable number of them were actually Sherry's offspring. This female elf had been a prostitute for nearly two hundred years. If she was forced into it by circumstances at first, she later began to enjoy it and was willing to try all sorts of "new challenges."

Besides the children she bore herself, Shirley also adopted the children of the other prostitutes in the Silver House, providing them with food, clothing, and shelter, and then training them to be loyal warriors, earning them the nickname "Hybrid Legion".

However, not all of these mixed-race children raised by Shirley were loyal to her or willing to risk their lives for her. Among the few who defected, the most famous was "Piranha" Doug, the big guy standing in front of Ludd, staring down at him intently.

Ten years ago, Doug was Sherry's most capable double-flower red stick, but his strength fueled Doug's ambition. He was no longer satisfied with being the strongest henchman in a mixed-race gang. Instead, he felt that he had the right to inherit Sherry's position and that she should give way to him, or even submit to him like other women.

So Shirley dealt with this rebellious son, but instead of killing him, she expelled him from the household.

Later, Doug, relying on his strength and ruthless nature, carved out a niche for himself in the towns surrounding Flamewood City, and returned to Flamewood City with a group of henchmen. He wasn't exactly a big shot, but he wasn't an unknown nobody either, and it was unexpected that Katie would recruit him.

Seeing Lud emerge, and Katie with a gritted-teeth expression, clearly indicating that the negotiations had failed, Doug immediately led his men to surround them. This burly man, with one-quarter orc blood, was terrifyingly large, easily two heads taller than Lud, with arms as thick as an average person's thigh, exuding an immense sense of oppression.

But Ludwig remained calm and spoke in a composed tone.

"Alvitt, you take care of the rest. This big guy is for me. Oh, and try not to kill anyone."

"Yes, my lord."

Hearing Lude so calmly "arrange" for him and his men, Doug was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but burst into laughter. He had been in the underworld for so many years, and this was the first time he had been looked down upon like this, especially by a skinny young master.

However, just as he was about to retort with a sarcastic remark and teach the young master a lesson he would never forget, he suddenly noticed that the crystal ball at the top of the cane that the young master had been holding was starting to glow. Lai Ji thought to himself, "Oh no," before being bound by a powerful, invisible force and slowly lifted into the air.

The henchmen around them were all dumbfounded when they saw their boss suddenly "ascend to heaven" on the spot. It took them a long time before someone finally came to their senses.

"This...this guy is a magician!"

Inside the room behind Luther, Katie stared in disbelief at the incredible scene unfolding outside the door. Doug, on whom she had placed so much hope, had been subdued before he could even make a move, while his dozen or so henchmen were swept aside by the seemingly weak female bodyguard beside Hugo.

Because Ludd had instructed that "no one should be killed," Alvitt, though she did make a move, did not draw her sword. Instead, she pulled her sword, scabbard and all, and used it as a club, beating the group of thugs until they screamed in agony. She quickly took down all ten or so henchmen in the corridor, leaving only Doug, who had been lifted up by Ludd with the Force, still "standing," looking like a chicken waiting to be slaughtered.

In just a few minutes, Doug's arrogance and confidence were shattered by the scene before him, and at the same time, it awakened a "fear" deep within him that had been forgotten for many years.

The last time he was so helplessly manipulated was when he rebelled against his own mother, ultimately forcing her to take real action. The man before him, Lud, seemed even more formidable than his mother, Shirley.

"My lord! It's my fault... I was blind... Please... spare me... I... I..."

Because Doug's throat was being held by the "Force," his pleas for mercy were intermittent and made him look particularly pitiful. His miserable state terrified Katie, who had just made some harsh remarks to Ludd not long ago. She desperately wanted to run away and get out of this hellish place as soon as possible, but her legs felt like they were made of lead, and she couldn't even stand up from the sofa.

Looking at the villainous leader in front of him, who had been arrogant at first but was now obsequious and was almost crying from fear, Lude thought to himself how useful the props the three sisters had made were, while sneering at Doug with a cold smile.

"Let you go? Those poor people you once oppressed, when they begged you for mercy, did you let them go? Let you go... dream on!"

As Ludd spoke, he reached out and gently tapped Doug's body. Katie was horrified to see that Doug's once strong and rock-hard muscles were shrinking rapidly at a visible speed. In less than half a minute, the giant had become as thin as a bamboo pole. When Ludd put him on the ground, the guy was so weak that he couldn't even stand up and knelt down in front of Ludd with a thud.

Lude bent down and patted him on the shoulder, a smile that sent chills down Doug's spine, and whispered in his ear.

"I'm giving you a chance to be the weak one, so enjoy the experience."

End of this chapter

Faced with overwhelming power, Katie was stunned to discover that the Joker was herself! All the harsh words and threats she had just made seemed so ridiculous and presumptuous at this moment.

Looking at Doug, who had been drained dry, a strong sense of fear washed over Katie. Just then, Lude suddenly turned around and looked at Katie. The moment their eyes met, Katie finally couldn't hold back anymore and felt a wet, warm sensation gushing out from between her legs.

"No, don't kill me!"

Noticing that Katie's skirt was soaked and her face was deathly pale, Lude knew that his intimidation had been achieved. He believed that Katie's psychological trauma at this moment was many times greater than the wet patch on her crotch. This was more effective than killing her directly, and it would avoid causing any trouble.

"Miss Katie, consider this a lesson learned. I advise you to behave yourself in the future, otherwise... hehe! I'm sure you definitely don't want to see me coming to find you someday. Goodbye!"

After Lude finished speaking, he turned and left with Aylvit. Katie slumped on the sofa, motionless, until she could no longer hear their footsteps. Only then did she stand up shakily, and then she touched herself in fear, making sure that nothing had changed before she could barely breathe a sigh of relief. But the intense fear still made her tremble.

Katie felt she had made an unprecedented blunder! She never imagined that a screenwriter would be such a powerful magician.

Such a powerful person would be respected wherever he went. Even if he met Duke Krud, the most powerful city lord in Yanmu City, the other party would still treat him as an honored guest. But he himself was so ignorant and arrogant that he found a group of thugs to threaten him. He simply did not know how to write the word "death".

What should we do? Are we just going to stand by and watch that bitch Servis rise to power in Flamewood City and then trample us underfoot?

Katie was caught in a dilemma, unsure of what to do.

Meanwhile, Lude, having left the meeting room, strolled leisurely through the bustling streets of Yanmu City with Alvite.

Rudd felt he had done a decent job with his performance. Especially the part where he used Shanis's divine power to drain Doug of his life force, turning him into "scum," was definitely the work of a powerful villain, and Katie was so scared she peed her pants on the spot.

Unfortunately, the goddesses under Lud's command who have signed contracts with him are all lower-level deities of the third tier at present, and their divine power has not yet undergone a qualitative change. Many of the unconventional maneuvers Lud wants to pull off are currently impossible for him. Otherwise, he could instantly transform Doug and all his subordinates into beautiful girls, then have them form an idol group like Evil Flower 48 or 46 to debut, singing and dancing to benefit society—wouldn't that be much more loving than fighting and committing evil?

On his way back, Lude made a detour to "Gold and Silver Cave," the largest casino in Flamewood City. He wasn't there to gamble, but to conduct reconnaissance. The mastermind behind Gold and Silver Cave was none other than Jade, the elder of the Black Hand Brotherhood, known as "Faceless."

Of the six elders of the Black Hand Brotherhood, apart from Vernon the Skinner who has already been killed and Leopold the Evil Lawyer who is still alive, the remaining four all have public identities and their own businesses in Flamewood City.

According to the intelligence Lude possessed, the Gold and Silver Cave is ostensibly a casino, but beneath the casino lies the meeting place where the Brotherhood of the Black Hand conducts religious ceremonies. The followers of the false god of thieves gather here every week to enjoy the "divine wine" bestowed upon them by the gods, and then collectively get incredibly high.

This godforsaken place, Lud must be destroyed!

The two arrived at the casino, and Lude immediately tossed a cherry-sized ruby ​​to the young woman behind the counter at the chip exchange area, saying that he didn't have any gold coins on him but was itching to play and wanted to see if he could exchange the ruby ​​for some chips.

Upon seeing the gemstone, the saleswoman assumed a big spender had arrived and asked Lu De to wait a moment while she ran over to fetch a manager.

The supervisor examined the ruby, confirmed it wasn't fake, and immediately bowed respectfully to Lude. He then instructed the counter girl to prepare 500 chips and bring out a platinum-level membership card.

As the largest casino in the entire Flamewood City and even the entire kingdom, the Gold and Silver Cave has a 1:1 exchange rate between chips and gold coins. In other words, the manager believes that the ruby ​​that Lude brought out is worth five hundred gold coins.

The price was actually slightly overpriced, but the foreman knew that someone who could casually pull out such a gem and act like it was nothing was definitely worth over 100,000, and might even be a young master from a noble family. Bringing in such a wealthy customer was definitely a good deal for them.

So Lude, with the exchanged chips and the complimentary membership card, entered the casino, personally led by the manager.

Unlike the scenes he had seen in many movies in his previous life, this world had its own unique gambling methods. Fortunately, Lude had done his homework beforehand with Hume, who was an expert in gambling, so he did not show any signs of being a novice.