What witch? The Deadly Pharmacist!

He took out the scales, looking preoccupied, and placed them on the small table. He glanced at Leon, who was waiting with his arms crossed, and asked casually, "How's everything going lately? Did you encounter any problems with the delivery?"

"No, not at all. At this rate, we should be able to produce an extra batch of goods before winter arrives, at least half again as much as in the first half of the year," Leon smiled.

"Oh, that's wonderful, haha..." The shop owner forced a few dry laughs.

What exactly happened with Kalon? Why haven't they closed the net yet?

Surely this kid didn't discover the problem beforehand and came to settle scores with me? That's impossible. With Caron's overwhelming status, he could easily control this kid; there's no risk of leaking information at all.

Besides, if this kid really realized that Caron knew his secret, he wouldn't even have time to run away, let alone come to this shop to settle accounts with him.

The shop owner never considered the possibility that Caron had already been dealt with by this kid; in his estimation, it was an impossible event.

Although he didn't know what was going on, he could only bite the bullet and proceed with the acquisition through normal procedures, at least to prevent the other party from noticing anything amiss.

This shipment is quite substantial, totaling 105,600 pfennigs.

"I'll go get the money," the shopkeeper said, returning behind the counter. He lifted the carpet, unlocked the wooden door, grabbed a lantern, and prepared to go down into the cellar.

The money in the counter was only enough to run the secondhand recycling business; he had to go to the cellar to get the money every time he made such a purchase.

He had just turned around and was going down the stairs when he suddenly noticed something moving behind him.

He turned around and was surprised to find that Leon had somehow gotten around the counter and was standing behind him, putting on gloves.

"you……"

He immediately became alert, and just as he was about to ask a question, Leon suddenly raised his foot and kicked him down.

"what!!"

The old shopkeeper screamed and tumbled down the stairs into the cellar. Leon followed him down the stairs and even managed to close the cellar door.

After being kicked and falling down the stairs, the old shop owner felt like his whole body was falling apart. The most painful part was the broken fingers, which were aggravated by the fall.

He struggled to get up, his right hand reaching for the gun hidden on his body, when Leon jumped down the stairs and mercilessly stomped his entire weight on his back.

"Gah!!" The old shopkeeper opened his mouth in excruciating pain from his broken ribs, forcibly expelling all the air from his lungs, making him extremely uncomfortable.

Leon knelt down, pressed his knee against the old shopkeeper's back, grabbed the old shopkeeper's hands and tied them behind his back, then took out shackles and handcuffed him.

Then he began searching the man's body and pulled out the gun that the man had hidden on his person.

“We seemed to have agreed that if we kept our mouths shut, we’d be fine!” Leon said coldly, smashing the other man’s head with the butt of his gun. “Unfortunately, you didn’t follow that rule. You should know very well what happens to traitors, right?”

In this cellar, there's no need to worry about the other person's voice being heard by people outside.

"What...what are you saying? Why did you suddenly attack?" the old shopkeeper gasped as he managed to squeeze out his words.

His first reaction was to play dumb and act pitiful, trying to fool people.

"Alright, looks like you want to choose the most painful way to die." Leon's voice was as calm as if he were discussing dinner.

The old shopkeeper's heart sank lower and lower. The chilling killing intent emanating from Leon made him realize that the other party had completely grasped the truth.

If he knew he had betrayed him to Caron, why didn't he flee? Why did Caron hesitate to act?

Could it be... could it be!

The possibility that he had never considered before surfaced in his mind, and his pupils trembled.

The old shopkeeper turned his head with difficulty, looking at Leon's chilling face in the darkness, and asked tremblingly:

"Where's Caron? Hasn't Caron Esso contacted you?"

"What do you think?" Leon retorted coldly.

"You...killed him?" the old shopkeeper exclaimed in disbelief. "You killed Caron Esso!?"

Leon grabbed the old shopkeeper's head and pressed his face hard against the dusty cellar floor, silencing his shouts.

“If you keep shouting like that, I’ll pull your teeth out one by one,” Leon threatened coldly. “Listen up, traitor. If you want to live, you’ll have to pay at least three million pfennigs. Otherwise, the way you die will make you regret ever being born!”

Chapter 47 introduces the upstream supplier.

Leon had no intention of letting the old shop owner off the hook.

The old shop owner gave him away once, and there's a possibility he'll do it again. In any case, this risk must be addressed.

He knew he had to kill the person, but before doing so, he thought he could rob the victim of another sum of money.

If he had the chance to grab a large enough amount, he might even consider temporarily withdrawing from this business to avoid the limelight.

This old shop owner seems to have been in this business for a while and should have some money on hand. He'll squeeze as much money out of the dead as he can!

It took the old shopkeeper a while to recover from the shock of Caron's death, before he realized clearly that he was next.

He completely misjudged this young man. If the other party dared to kill even Caron, and was capable of doing so, how could he possibly escape unscathed?

Realizing this, the old shopkeeper calmed down: "Even if I gave you the money, you would still kill me! Go ahead and do it!"

Leon had expected this to be seen through, and he asked, "Don't you want a quick death?"

Admittedly, he would kill the shop owner whether or not he paid him, but there was still room for negotiation on how to kill him.

“I betrayed you, and I accept your offer to kill me, but I can’t come up with that much money. Today isn’t a trading day, and I only have about 200,000 in my cabinet, with the key hanging around my neck.”

"That's all I can give you. Take it and give me a quick death. Torturing me is just a waste of your time," the old shopkeeper said in a persuasive tone.

"Well, we should at least give it a try."

Leon wasn't so naive as to give up just because the other party said that. He grabbed the old shopkeeper and dragged him to a chair to the side.

……

Two hours later, Leon woke the old shopkeeper up by pouring a bucket of cold water over him.

"Ah!" The old shopkeeper, who was tied to the chair, suddenly woke up, gasping for breath. The blood on his chin mixed with the water flowing down his face and dripped down.

Leon casually tossed away the pliers in his hand. Several teeth and fingernails were scattered on the ground. The old shopkeeper's hands and feet were tied to the armrests and legs of the chair, and his fingers and toes were covered with needles.

"You confessed when Caron broke three of your fingers, but you're tight-lipped when I ask you for money? Looks like I still have a lot to learn from others." Leon chuckled self-deprecatingly, stepping on the other's toes where needles were stuck in them.

The old shopkeeper trembled all over in pain, managing to squeeze out a voice from his throat: "If Ka-Kalon were like you, wanting money, I wouldn't have complained no matter how he tortured me. It's only because...it's only because he planned to keep me doing this business that I confessed."

"Are you really willing to risk your life for money? You won't live to spend the money, so what's the point?" Leon stared at the old shopkeeper.

"You think I'm working myself to the bone at my age just for myself? Haha, if I really valued my life, who would do this?" The old shopkeeper grinned, revealing a miserable smile, his gums covered in blood. "You're definitely crazier than me in this respect, after all, you even killed Caron..."

“I’m not demanding all your money. Three million is enough to give you a comfortable death. It’s not expensive,” Leon said, grabbing the other man’s hair.

"You know how it is in this line of work; it's hard to keep cash. The money I earned that I didn't spend was either laundered into assets and collectibles, or it was transferred away. I can't give it to you, and you can't take it away either. The only money I can withdraw is the loan from the higher-ups, but that's only about 300,000 more."

That money would only be a hot potato for you; it would make you a target quickly, believe it or not.

The old shopkeeper's eyes glazed over as he spoke, "It doesn't matter anymore, I'll be done for soon anyway..."

Leon turned around and looked at the items he had found while rummaging through the cellar on the table behind him.

As the old shop owner said, the gold certificates and coins locked in the iron cabinet in the cellar totaled just over two hundred thousand.

There were some antiques and secondhand items left that still seemed to have some value. Leon knew that these things would be difficult to handle without connections, and there was also the risk of being investigated.

He searched all the other places, including the shops above, but didn't find anything good, nor did he find any hidden compartments or secret doors.

He tried to persuade the old shop owner, but ultimately failed to get him to hand over more money.

Moreover, the shop owner didn't seem to be able to withstand much more stress. Although Leon had been using methods that weren't too lethal, the old shop owner was, after all, quite old, and even intense pain could lead to shock and death.

The old shop owner wasn't exactly loose-lipped, but he was the type who would rather die than give up his money. The reason Caron was able to get him to talk was precisely because it didn't hinder his ability to make money.

If Caron were to have someone help him dispose of the stolen goods, he probably wouldn't choose someone who would confess everything after a little torture.

Leon could torment him, but ultimately he couldn't find the real weakness he had hidden.

It seems that continuing like this is indeed a waste of time; we can only move on to the next step. Leon made up his mind.

“Even if you can’t pay, I can still give you a chance,” Leon said slowly, staring at the old shop owner. “Introduce your supplier to me.”

"What?" The shop owner, whose consciousness had already begun to wander, raised his face again.

“Introduce your supplier to me, let me supply them directly in your place, and then you can retire and disappear without a trace,” Leon explained his requirements.

"After killing Caron, you still want to continue doing this kind of business?" The old shopkeeper looked up at Leon in disbelief.

With the death of the Inquisition's director, the Church will soon thoroughly investigate this town. This business chain will undoubtedly undergo a major upheaval.

And this real culprit not only didn't want to leave to avoid the limelight, but also wanted to further expand and strengthen his business?

“We’ve killed people, so there should be some reward, right? It’s all thanks to you!” Leon released the old shopkeeper’s hair and pressed it down hard.

By replacing the old shop owner and supplying goods directly to his supplier, the profit margin of the business can be further increased, and money can be earned more efficiently.

This matter is certainly risky, but it can't be as risky as killing Charon.

Moreover, he has already prepared the leverage for negotiations.

"Even if I introduce you to someone, you still won't let me off the hook, will you?" The shop owner still looked at Leon with apprehension.

“I need to at least keep you alive until the introduction. If this works out, I won’t care whether you live or die. Believe it or not, it’s your business. At least it’s an opportunity. Will you try or not?” Leon asked expressionlessly.

"Let me think...let me think..." The old shopkeeper raised his head, leaned back in his chair, and breathed heavily, trying to clear his muddled mind. "You're planning to tell my supplier about me betraying you, aren't you? That way you can really torment me!"

“Don’t act like you’re someone I hate. Who do you think you are? I need a buyer, and you’re no longer up to the task. Introduce me to a new buyer and fulfill your responsibilities!” Leon said slowly.

The old shopkeeper remained silent for a very long time, so long that Leon wondered if he had lost consciousness again.

Finally, he spoke: "When do you want it to be?"

"Right now!" Leon said directly. "Take me to see him right now."

“This is not appropriate…” The old shop owner immediately shook his head.

“Not suitable doesn’t mean it won’t work,” Leon rejected. “Your previous employer was Mr. Griffin, right? I need you to introduce him to him right now.”

He wasn't going to give the old shop owner time to prepare for any tricks.

The old shop owner sighed upon hearing this: "Then you have to release me first and let me calm down. In my current state, I can't even walk."

Leon didn't reply, but he still helped the shopkeeper remove the needles one by one and then untied him.

The tormented old shopkeeper was still slumped in his chair, panting heavily. Leon pulled a test tube containing a purplish-red liquid from his pocket and handed it to him: "Drink this!"

The old shop owner shuddered at the sight of the liquid in the test tube, his eyes filled with unspeakable fear: "What is this thing?!"

"The witch's potion, the kind that can kill you instantly, but not immediately. You can only get the antidote if things succeed; if they don't, you'll die a long and painful death," Leon explained. "Will you drink it yourself, or should I force-feed it to you?"

The shopkeeper was terrified, but when Leon was about to reach out and grab his chin to force the poison down his throat, he knew he had no chance to resist, so he reluctantly reached out and drank the poison in one gulp.

The smell of blood mixed with a cold, numbing sensation spread down his throat, making him feel suffocated.

But Leon managed to quell the curse in his blood at that moment, and the old shopkeeper, who had just been holding his breath, grabbed his throat and gasped for air.

After numerous practices, he was able to control the cursed blood more precisely, and now, with this rare opportunity, he could finally test it on a human.

Chapter 48 Enemies Meet on a Narrow Road

For two hours, the old shopkeeper sat in the shop, holding a bottle of slime gel, struggling to bandage his fingers and toes.

Several fingers had their nails peeled off, and all the fingers and toes were repeatedly pierced with needles.

Even after the needle was removed, he was still in pain.

He glanced at Leon, who was sitting to the side with his arms crossed, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke indistinctly:

"Please treat my wound. It would be difficult to explain to them if they saw me with such an injury."

His mouth was stuffed with cotton balls because Leon had his molars pulled. It wasn't very noticeable when he opened his mouth to speak, but from today onwards, if he didn't get dentures, he would never be able to chew anything hard again.

However, Leon merely glanced at him without moving: "It's you who can't explain, not me. I don't mind telling them the real reason I tortured you; solve your own problems."

The old shop owner supplying people in the supply chain to the heretical judges is undoubtedly an intolerable betrayal in the underworld.

If his superiors knew he had done this, their methods of torture would probably not be any gentler than Leon's, and they might even know his real weakness.

The old shopkeeper sighed and shook his head: "You shouldn't have said those things. Once you did, the fact that you are an Inquisitor would be exposed, and you would be treated as an undercover agent. I don't have time to explain it clearly in such a short time."

"So the old saying still holds true: you mind your own business, and I'll mind mine," Leon teased the old shopkeeper.

The old shop owner had nothing to say, and could only sigh helplessly as he continued to treat the wound.