Chapter 64: This Is What a Battle of Genius Minds Looks Like!
Chapter 64: This Is What a Battle of Genius Minds Looks Like!
What sort of genius double-agent showdown was this supposed to be?
Afuduo stared wide-eyed at the man across from her, utterly floored by what she’d just heard.
Her little head simply couldn’t process it all at once.
“Wait… you’re saying you want me to act as a spy for both sides? Gathering intel on each and feeding it to the other?”
She shook her head, clearly terrified by the very idea.
“But wouldn’t that make me an obvious suspect? Any halfway intelligent superior would never trust a double agent like that… They’d probably just wipe out my entire family on the spot and toss me aside as a worthless pawn!”
Oh? This woman’s actually rather sharp.
As expected of a Catkin—other than being timid and prone to running, she really does have a lot going for her.
“Ordinarily, you’d be right,” Lin Wei nodded, his tone approving as he continued. “But the fact that the demons sent someone like you all the way to the Imperial Capital for such a dangerous mission means they must be desperate. They probably couldn’t find anyone truly talented for the job.” He nodded, expression earnest.
“Since you’ve managed to sneak into the capital and get this far, even if they’re suspicious, they’ll have no choice but to let you try. Besides, it’s not as if I’d send you back empty-handed—I’ll make sure you have real intel to report.”
What do you mean, ‘couldn’t find any real talent’?
He’s clearly looking down on me! He thinks I’m completely useless!
Do I really seem that pathetic? Sorry to disappoint you, then!
But… faced with Lin Wei’s confidence and unshakable tone,
Afuduo had to admit, she was starting to be convinced.
Compared to being handed over to the Holy Church and facing the wrath of the Judgement Knights, working with him did seem like the safer option.
“What kind of intel?”
After weighing her options, Afuduo finally gave up resisting.
There’s a big difference between dying now and dying later. With an opportunity this close at hand, it’d be foolish to throw it away.
“Recently, the Holy Church’s supply convoys to the front lines were ambushed by the demons. A significant portion of potions and elixirs was stolen during the raid.”
“The information I’m giving you is this: The Holy Church will soon be sending a fresh batch of high-grade potions to the front. This time, most of the healing potions will be infused with a trace of holy light, thanks to the addition of Holy Light Stones.”
“Huh? Did you get this intel from the Imperial Capital’s Magic Academy?”
Afuduo blinked, instantly piecing things together.
If her guess was correct, she could even deduce that the man before her was the very alchemist behind these potions.
Damn it! Not only was her work stolen—
Even this intel belonged to him now!
But thinking about it, she’d never have landed an order like that in the first place.
After all, his alchemy skills truly were terrifying.
As a Catkin, she knew her own limits all too well.
“That’s right… This is my next assignment at the Imperial Capital’s Magic Academy.”
“This info might not be earth-shattering, but it should be enough to earn you some trust. At the very least, the demons will see it as you being used as a pawn, so they’ll likely respond in some way.”
He really had spent too long as a Demon Lord—he was almost too comfortable handling his subordinates.
Especially after five years of having her trail behind him, she’d picked up a bit of his world-shaking cunning, even if imperfectly.
Even if the demons suspected this Catkin woman might have already defected to the Empire, it was still a clever move to play a “battle of wits and strategy”—using the art of deducing real intelligence from a flood of unreliable reports!
For now, Afuduo and her family’s safety was practically guaranteed.
And with this arrangement, Lin Wei could even reverse the flow of intel—gleaning demon information that might help his own Veya rise through the ranks faster.
It was just a shame that, too obsessed with the art of war at the time, he’d never asked for the relevant lists.
He distinctly remembered that the Empire had its share of “collaborators”—humans who’d sided with the demons for personal gain.
If he’d gotten those names and handed over a few, Veya would have easily been promoted to candidate bishop by now.
“I’ll… give it a try, then?” Afuduo bit her lip, testing the waters.
“Go ahead,” Lin Wei replied smoothly. “Just let me know how the demons respond.”
“But let me warn you—while I may be an adventurer from the Northern Countries, my network here in the capital is extensive. If you try to sneak out of the city, I guarantee I’ll catch you by the next day.”
Lin Wei rubbed his hands together with a sinister grin, finally getting to play the villain he’d always wanted to be.
“And if that happens, don’t expect another friendly chat. I’ll have my fun with you first,” he leered, “and then send you straight to the Succubus Inn.”
“Kekeke… Miss Afuduo, you wouldn’t want to be completely broken in, would you?”
“U-ugh…”
There was nothing playful about his threatening tone.
Afuduo crouched on the ground, hugging herself tightly—completely intimidated.
Why did this man keep switching so wildly between angel and demon?
Just who was he, really? Was he really just some ordinary adventurer?
“I’m not going to run.”
Afuduo thought for a moment, then muttered in mild confusion, “And aren’t you about to brand me with a Slave’s mark anyway? Even if I wanted to escape, there’s no way I could get away from you.”
Lin Wei stared at her, utterly dumbfounded. “This is the first time I’ve met a demi-human who so diligently reminds her captor not to forget the Slave’s mark.”
Any other demi-human in her shoes would be pretending nothing was wrong, looking for any chance to slip away.
“Wait—so you weren’t planning on it?” Afuduo’s eyes widened in regret as she realized her mistake.
“Relax. I’m not planning on it now, either,” Lin Wei said with a wave of his hand. “After all, you’re already under the Demon God’s curse—who knows if there’s some clause like ‘slave status triggers the curse’? Besides, no one really trusts a double agent to begin with.”
“If you became a slave… well, the demons would never believe intel from someone who’s been branded.”
Even in a battle of genius minds, some lines couldn’t be crossed.
A slave was nothing more than a puppet—who would ever trust information that came from them?
“All right, let’s leave it at that. We’ll see what the demons say once they get your message.”
Lin Wei clapped his hands, signaling the end of the discussion.
He glanced at the travel-worn Catkin before him, her clothes still dusted with grime.
Suddenly remembering what he’d been about to do, he tossed out an extra question.
“By the way, how long have you been in the capital?”
“I’ve been in the capital for a little over a month now…”
She hadn’t expected that, in the end, she wouldn’t become a slave after all.
But working with him was practically the same as handing over all her leverage. In some ways, it wasn’t much different from being a slave.
Afuduo took a deep breath and slowly got to her feet to answer. At this point, though, there really weren’t any better options. For now, she’d just take things one day at a time. As long as she wasn’t branded a slave, maybe she’d find a way out someday.
“So where are you staying? An inn, or did you rent a place?”
If she’d been here over a month, she probably knew the city better than he did, having only just arrived himself.
Lin Wei looked at her with a friendly smile. If her place was decent, maybe he’d consider moving nearby.
But her next words left him stunned.
“I did rent a place before, but a few days ago I couldn’t pay the rent and got kicked out.”
“As for now…”
She pointed in the direction of the alleyway.
Afuduo lowered her head, mumbling in embarrassment, “At night I sleep on the rooftops, and during the day I rest under the bridge, just for a little while.”