The Villain Saint is my secondary account

Of course, out of remorse, he still placed two silver coins on the poor servant who had been stripped naked and drugged in the small room.

Back at the entrance, Ye Xiao, dressed in a servant's uniform, swaggered past the two guards, through the long, dark corridor, and into the hall opposite.

The enchanting atmosphere was gone, replaced by a cacophony of voices.

Opposite the door is a square-shaped second-floor corridor, which connects to the first-floor lobby, which used to be the gambling den next door. Adventurers and natives dressed in various styles gathered in the lobby, dancing and gesturing around a square table where dice were being rolled.

The swirling golden lights danced through the bustling crowd, reminding Ye Xiao of those old disco halls when viewed from above.

However, compared to the hustle and bustle of the first floor, the second floor was noticeably quieter, with the elegantly dressed guests simply walking with their female companions toward the stairs at the other end of the corridor.

Ye Xiao wasn't surprised that there was a gambling den next door. As the saying goes, gambling and gambling are inseparable. Even empires that were still in a feudal society retained things like slave markets, and gambling was a form of entertainment favored by the extravagant nobility.

But if it's only this level, there's no need to make it so mysterious.

Ye Xiao followed the crowd up the stairs and found that it was another corridor. However, this time the corridor was lined with doors marked with numbered signs. Many male servants in formal attire or maids in black and white dresses were pushing carts back and forth in the corridor, looking quite busy.

The guests who entered the corridor each went to different doors to enter, and Ye Xiao was forced to look left and right again, not knowing which door he should enter.

"Hey? What are you spacing out for?"

Just then, a grayish-white duster hit Ye Xiao on the shoulder. Ye Xiao turned around and saw a maid girl wearing a white apron standing with one hand on her hip, looking up at him. "What are you doing standing in there? Can't you see everyone is working? Hurry up and help!"

Ye Xiao glanced down at his servant's uniform, understood immediately, and scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile. "Sorry, sister, I'm new here and not quite sure what to do."

"What sister?! Do you think you're so young?!" The maid smacked Ye Xiao's arm with the duster again, annoyed. "No wonder you look so unfamiliar. I won't scold you since you're new here. Hurry up and go help out in the arena."

Arena?

Ye Xiao was puzzled, but outwardly remained calm. "Um, how do I get to the arena, beautiful lady?"

"Why do you talk so greasy?" The maid waved the duster at Ye Xiao again, but this time Ye Xiao dodged it. "You dare to dodge?!"

"It's not because I'm afraid of getting my clothes dirty and not being able to serve the customers well," Ye Xiao explained with a sunny smile.

"Fine, you've got plenty of excuses." The maid huffed and puffed, hands on her hips. "Go straight to the bottom of the stairs at the end of the corridor. That reclusive Thompson is yours to take care of. Also, call me Lady Rebecca, and don't call me anything like 'sister' or 'beautiful lady' again!"

"Yes, Lady Rebecca." Ye Xiao stood ramrod straight.

"Hurry up and go!" Rebecca waved the feather duster again, but Ye Xiao had already disappeared in a flash.

Following the path Rebecca had given him, Ye Xiao went downstairs again. After some twists and turns, he finally saw what was hidden behind the building.

It was a huge hall, like a theater, with tiered seating arranged diagonally around it. At the higher levels were suspended boxes covered by red curtains, and you could vaguely see masked figures standing behind those curtains watching.

But on the vast stage in the center of this hall, what was being performed was not some civilized and elegant drama, but a fierce battle between a group of people and a ferocious demon beast.

However, it was less a battle and more a one-sided massacre of people.

Several shirtless men surrounded the lion-headed, scorpion-tailed monster. Every time a deafening roar rang out, the monster's sharp claws would tear the tiny human figure to shreds as if it were a rag doll.

Blood and entrails were scattered across the field like tossed garbage, and the only sounds accompanying this bloody scene were sighs and shouts from the audience.

As Ye Xiao walked below the brightly lit arena, carrying a towel, he couldn't see the surging figures in the audience seats. He could only hear the continuous shouts and curses in his ears.

However, he now understood why this place was kept so mysterious.

I never imagined that such a place was hidden beneath the imperial city of the Loren Empire.

Judging from the scale of this place and the various nobles who come and go, Ye Xiao didn't believe that this place didn't have a powerful noble backer.

He continued following the instructions and found a large man sitting in a corner below the ring, breathing heavily, also shirtless, his back glistening with sweat.

"Mr. Thompson?" Ye Xiao stepped forward and greeted him.

"What?" The big guy looked at Ye Xiao, his face full of fat and his brows furrowed. "I told you I can use it myself, so stop rushing me!"

“Um,” Ye Xiao took the towel off her shoulder, “I was just following instructions to hand you a towel.”

"Then get me a glass of water!"

"Sorry, I don't know where to get water either." Ye Xiao scratched her head apologetically.

"Then what the hell are you doing as a waiter?!" The burly Thompson cursed, his vulgarities gushing out. "Fine, fine, I didn't expect anything from you bastards anyway!"

Ye Xiao shrugged. "Don't get so worked up, buddy. I'm just a salaried worker."

Thompson didn't understand Ye Xiao's meaning. Instead, he grabbed a syringe from the side, took a deep breath, and then plunged the thick, straw-like needle into his arm, screaming, "Aaaaaah!!!"

Ugh, what is that?

Even Ye Xiao felt a little numb looking at the syringe. In his memory, he had only ever seen such a thick syringe in scenes where cattle and sheep were given anesthesia.

Chapter Twenty: The Trap of Greed

"Ah!!!" Thompson's heart-wrenching scream seemed so insignificant amidst the clamor of the crowd.

Only Ye Xiao, who was standing right next to him, could see how the bulging veins on this guy's face conveyed his pain.

A bronze hue spread from the needle hole, like cancer cells gradually eroding the surrounding skin from the arm.

The eerie white bones burst forth from the end of Thompson's clenched fist, tearing through flesh and blood, gradually writhing and deforming into sharp shapes, while also taking on a chilling silver light.

The expanding metallization stopped at the right half of his chest, and Thompson's entire right arm seemed to have become an alchemical machine tightly stitched to his body.

"Ah...ah..." He gasped for breath, sweat pouring down his face under the dazzling lights.

"Is it worth it, bro?" Ye Xiao pondered, watching Thompson's transformation. "You should understand that even so, you still can't beat that manticore up there."

Thompson suddenly turned his head, his large, bell-like eyes staring at Ye Xiao without moving.

However, Ye Xiao was not flustered. He simply stood there with his hands behind his back, smiling as he looked at Ye Xiao.

"You know nothing!" Thompson exhaled, then turned his head back to stare at the ring, muttering again, "You know nothing..."

"Ding"

A sharp ringing sound echoed through the hall.

The emcee, dressed in formal attire, stood on a platform suspended from the ceiling. He took out a megaphone engraved with a sound-amplifying array and shouted, "Time's up!"

"Hahaha, it's a pity everyone, this time not even one of our players could last ten minutes. Our thug 'Antuka' seems to crave blood more than we thought!!"

"A new round of betting is about to begin, and this time, we invite our seasoned veterans to join the battle:"

"'The reclusive Thompson'!!!"

As the host's loud and clear voice rang out, the light condensed from the glowing ore instantly focused on Thompson and Ye Xiao beside him.

Ye Xiao squinted slightly; the intense halo made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Thompson, like a gorilla released from its cage, spread his arms and roared at the empty space above, drawing enthusiastic applause and shouts.

"And our perfectly matched twin brothers, the 'Twin Berettas'!!!"

The host then began introducing the other contestants who were about to appear in the arena, and the blinding light shifted accordingly.

“Kid, you might think it’s not worth it.” In the dim light after the spotlight faded, Thompson patted Ye Xiao on the shoulder. “But everyone has things they have to do.”

"Is this a case of a dying man speaking kind words?" Ye Xiao smiled.

"Damn it, your mouth is way stinkier than the other servants'. You have absolutely no manners," Thompson said, completely oblivious to his own shortcomings.

"Contestants, please prepare to enter! Ladies and gentlemen, toss your gold coins to celebrate the departure of our warriors!!!"

The host's shout interrupted their conversation, as the light from the sky dispersed and shone evenly on each of the "warriors" about to take the stage.

The big guy tossed the smelly towel he'd used to wipe himself all over to Ye Xiao. Ye Xiao grabbed the towel and chuckled, "That manticore's right leg is lame. If someone can distract it, it won't be able to react when attacked on its right chest."

"What did you say?" Thompson turned around abruptly.

"Good luck." Ye Xiao waved from the shadows where the light didn't reach.

A moment later, Thompson and a group of twelve human fighters, carrying shields and spears, stepped onto the arena.

They formed a semicircle, gripping sharp spears, and slowly approached the massive iron gate behind the arena.

Inside the massive iron gate, the manticore lazily licked its blood-stained paws, its orange-yellow, vertical pupils glancing disdainfully at the twelve tiny, trembling lumps of flesh standing precariously on the edge of the iron bars.

"Ding"

The bell rang again, and the iron gate slowly opened upwards with the sound of the hinges turning.

The monster crouched low, eagerly squeezing its massive, truck-like head out from under the half-open doorway, its mocking gaze sweeping over the humans as if they were dinner on a table.

Then, without any warning, the manticore suddenly lunged forward, its claws tearing through the blood-stained floor, piercing a human who hadn't had time to react, instantly disemboweling him.

This claw strike seemed to sound the clarion call of slaughter, and the fierce battle between the weak humans and the ferocious monsters immediately began.

The stench of sweat and blood ignited the passion of the audience, with waves of shouts filling the hall with surging hormones.

In the high-class private box, a masked and richly dressed nobleman coldly looked down at everything. The figures being toyed with by the monster, the shouting audience, and even the seemingly ferocious manticore itself were nothing more than ants for their amusement.

Gold chips, each engraved with magical circuits, flowed along the plates carried by servants outside the private rooms, while lives, clearly priced, perished in the brutal battle.

Ye Xiao paid no attention to the tragic scene in the arena. Instead, he walked along the dimly lit steps in the audience seats, his eyes searching around. Then, he locked his gaze on a figure draped in a black robe and a well-dressed guest in a corner.

There was no other reason than that the black-robed figure was holding a demon statue with large hands but an unusually thin body.

It was the "Greedy" demon statue that Ye Xiao had been searching for.

He held a broom and deliberately swept slowly in a spot diagonally below the two people, hidden by their seats, while listening intently to their conversation.

"My lord, I see you are surrounded by gloomy clouds; perhaps you have not been favored by the goddess of fate."

"What does it have to do with you?"

"Heh, the world's treasures and luck are conserved, and the chances of victory and defeat should be equal for everyone. But do you know why you keep losing while others keep winning?"

"What's the meaning……?"

"Because someone stole your share of luck." The black-robed man's voice was dry and hoarse, yet it seemed to possess a strange magic, making people involuntarily believe his words. "Your bet was not wrong; you should have received your share of the wealth. But someone used underhanded means to steal what was rightfully yours."

"Such a thing exists?!"

“Look at your friends who have become successful and your relatives who have suddenly become rich and powerful.”

"Haven't you noticed that some people have become happier and happier since you met and got to know them?"

"But your life is getting worse and worse, and your luck in gambling is getting worse and worse... It seems that your wealth and good fortune are slipping through your fingers."

"...Damn it, it really is! I was wondering why that guy who used to need my help could, in just a few months, have managed to ride on the coattails of a noble and earn more than me!"

“That’s right, that’s right.” The man in black chuckled softly, revealing a small stone statue in his hand. “They’re the ones who stole your wealth and luck. Don’t you want to take back what’s rightfully yours?”

Chapter Twenty-One: After Greed

The black-robed charlatan's words, besides possessing their own magical power, also carried a touch of linguistic skill.

Cold reading—that's what Ye Xiao remembered being called.

What appears to be an accurate prediction of others is actually nothing more than exploiting psychological loopholes by describing common occurrences that everyone is likely to encounter in order to evoke resonance.

Everyone has their down times, and everyone has a few friends who were not as good as them before but have suddenly risen to prominence. Connecting the two is just an escape from one's current predicament.

The black-robed charlatan also exploited this point, but it was clear that for the inhabitants of this other world who had no knowledge of psychology but were certain of the existence of gods, such simple rhetoric was enough to have an impact.

This seemingly glamorous guest readily parted with his gold coins after a barrage of words, and Ye Xiao didn't stop him. After all, he was a gambling addict who had already staked his future on the devil statue, so why should he care?

The transaction ended quickly, and the delighted guests carried the statue back to their seats to begin a new round of betting.

The black-robed charlatan stood hunched over, then suddenly looked in the direction of Ye Xiao, who was hidden by the chair, and let out a hoarse, eerie laugh: "My friend, you've been listening here for so long, do you have some ideas of your own?"

The dim black magic slowly gathered along the floor unnoticed. The black-robed man's hand, hidden under his cloak, had his fingers slightly spread. This magic, like flowing mist, rose along the inside of the black robe and condensed in his palm.

Clearly, he had become suspicious of the young servant who had been silently eavesdropping on his conversation for a long time.

Although Ye Xiao was a Grandmaster-level swordsman in his previous life, he was not a Grandmaster-level assassin.

Therefore, he didn't have much hope for his ability to hide. Since he had been discovered, he stood up openly and scratched the back of his head: "Hehe, to be honest, I've lost a lot of money recently. I was quite moved by what you said, Master. I wonder if you have any similar statues here. I'd like to bring one home to change my luck."

Hmm? So you're here to buy a statue too?

The man in black robes stopped his concealed spellcasting. He sized up Ye Xiao, and seeing that the other looked young, his wariness lessened even more. He smiled and said, "Alright, friend, since you're so sincere, I won't hold you accountable for eavesdropping. Since you also crave the power of the mysterious will, come here, and I'll pass it on to you."

Ye Xiao approached the man in black, carrying a broom. He had been waiting for this opportunity to get close.

He'd dealt with plenty of these sneaky guys before. If he chased after them directly or made his intentions clear and tried to get close, they might become wary and run away.

It would be quite difficult to catch him in such a chaotic situation with so many people around. What if this guy knows some magic and uses a trick like a stealth step or a dazzling spell, causing chaos in the whole hall and making things difficult to manage?

But now, this guy is letting me get close, and within a two-meter radius, the swordsman has complete freedom to do as he pleases.

However, Ye Xiao was not in a hurry to take action, since the two sides were still in a "good" communication atmosphere.