Chapter 108: The Queen of the Underworld
"Impossible... utterly impossible!"
The young man’s voice trembled in utter shock and stammering as he turned the glowing stone over with trembling fingers: "This... this is the largest Mana-charged gem I have ever witnessed in my entire lifespan! Who... who are you two in truth?! Is this truly your grandmother’s gem?!"
Cain could offer no logical explanation. Should he candidly inform him that they originated from a parallel magical world, and that this diamond was merely the most trivial treasure within his pouch, representing nothing worthy of mention upon their magical scales?
The young man cast cautious, regretfully hushed glances about: "Or... or do you two know nothing regarding Mana to begin with? I ought to have maintained silence and refrained from uttering a word..."
Yet Cain, whose facial expressions swiftly transmuted into razor-sharp, icy detachment, glared at the young man clutching the diamond with gazes sharp as daggers.
Cain stated in a voice lowered to instill terror: "How did you know?"
The young man abruptly experienced a spiritual pressure and colossal weight exerted upon him within that narrow room; the atmosphere of the shop altered completely, growing vastly colder as chills surged through his limbs!
The young man swallowed with difficulty: "K-knew what?"
In the twinkling of an eye, Cain’s hand extended to seize the collar of his shirt with a single hand, yanking him with brute force and zero exertion, dragging his physique across the marble counter so that the terrified young man’s face rested a mere few centimeters from his own dark eyes!
Cain pressed his words with firmness: "How did you know there exists something termed Mana?! How did you know of its presence here... Are you originating from another world?!"
The young man was struck with absolute panic and terror upon finding himself stripped of volition with such extreme ease before this man who clearly proved to be joking in no manner! It appeared to him that the tranquil, wretched countenance Cain displayed upon entering the shop served merely as a precise mask concealing a terrifying entity!
The young man cried out in a faltering voice while attempting to safeguard his throat: "Another world?! No... no! I swear to you I am no monster disguised in human form! Those unknown monsters and supernatural affairs—I swear to you I possess zero connection to them whatsoever!"
Cain’s brows furrowed in astonishment and apprehension; affairs had begun entangling and escalating in complexity and strangeness in a manner that never crossed his mind! He wondered inwardly in awe: When on Earth did monsters and Mana energy enter Planet Earth?!
Cain tightened his grip, stating in a commanding tone: "Tell me everything... now! How did you come to know of Mana?!"
The man between Cain’s hands stood on the verge of bursting into tears from the extreme pressure and the rigid grip that threatened to tear the fabric of his athletic shirt.
The young man stated in trembling plea: "I swear to you, sir, I performed nothing to harm anyone! The entire matter is merely that I possess a few small Mana stones I purchase illegally from an unknown mining group... whereupon I resell them taking a minor commission to other buyers!"
Cain’s face paled into further suspicion and doubt, sensing that matters appeared by no means simple or fleeting within this underworld.
Cain queried in a stern tone: "Mana stones?! And why do they purchase them from you specifically? And from whence do they procure them to begin with?"
The strain pulling the shirt intensified, and the young man’s panic escalated as he writhed between Cain’s hands, swallowing his saliva before the supreme, terrifying aura unleashed by Cain—the aura of a ravenous beast capable of obliterating the entire venue should he desire, and the aura of the absolute last individual on the face of the Earth one would contemplate messing with!
The young man screamed, on the verge of collapsing: "I know not! I know not from whence they procure them specifically! All I know in truth... is that they utilize Mana stones by grinding them into powder, whereupon they place it within the food of predatory beasts to heighten their ferocity and power, entering them into secret underworld arena betting conflicts! I know nothing beyond this, I swear to you... Have mercy upon me, I beg of you!"
Cain contemplated the man’s trembling features for a matter of seconds, whereupon he pushed him gently with his hand... With that simple push, the young man recoiled backward with force until his back slammed into the wooden shelves, dropping to his knees upon the floor, groaning and gasping in terror.
Cain stood digesting the new parameters, analyzing the situation with solemn thought...
The diamond piece he presented to this young man constituted nothing among the supernatural items and artifacts he carried within his pouch. Was not this opportunity—via making contact with underworld networks and establishing relations with influential figures therein—the swiftest and most guaranteed method to obtain official, verifiable identities, abundant cash, and subsequently complete the legitimate, official marriage document upon which Lucy persisted, thereby concluding this whim and returning immediately to their world?
Cain adjusted his posture, that fatal aura dissipating from his features, whereupon he smiled in cold blood, gazing at the man sprawling upon the floor.
Cain stated in a confident tone: "This diamond... I possess abundance thereof, featuring quality and purity vastly superior to this piece... Curiosity compels me to inquire: Were a piece such as this sold to the lords of the underworld, for how much would its value be estimated?"
The young man rose with difficulty, wiping sweat from his forehead and swallowing his saliva in awe, stating: "It... it would be simply priceless! The stones that reach us routinely are deemed garbage and scrap compared to this legendary stone! This diamond could elevate the power of any predatory beast to an entirely different tier! Furthermore, it appears to me completely pristine and clear of any energy corruption or impurities... It possesses exceptional quality according to my expertise! I know not specifically, yet it might sell at a minimum for $10,000,000! And that stands as a starting price; I anticipate you shall secure vastly more than double, for they shall battle and bid upon the stone with ferocious intensity!"
Cain smiled with composure; in truth, he required not this giant, astronomical sum so much as he required influence and facilitators.
Cain stated calmly: "I seek not whoever pays more cash... rather, I desire an influential individual to whom I may grant this diamond, who shall render me a simple, specific service in exchange for half its value... I mean explicitly an individual possessing power and potent connections. And worry not regarding yourself... I shall grant you a generous commission for the connection in the amount of $1,000,000... or How about $2,000,000?"
The young man gasped, his breath catching, his pupils widening in shock and sudden hope!
The young man stated with zeal and eagerness, dusting off his shirt: "Very well! Very well indeed! I can connect you immediately with a woman referred to as The Queen of the Underworld through one of my close acquaintances! Thank you, sir... You are truly my benefactor and my savior!"