Chapter 442 Can’t Sleep
When Charles entered, he saw the shadows under the dim yellow light look over with unfriendly gazes. He froze in place. His bad premonition grew heavier.
"What's wrong?" Beard Guy craned his neck and squeezed past. He nodded at everyone. "Everyone's here? Charles, don't just stand there. Mr. Constantine is busy."
Charles managed a smile and followed Beard Guy. He saw their faces and thought the gazes were all icy.
"Sorry, I ca back late. I almost couldn't find Charles." Beard Guy patted his pocket. "It's not my fault. It's too hard to find a place that sells cigarettes. I could only get this crude tobacco. Does anyone want it?"
Constantine seed to be deep in thought.
"Cory, you're back just in ti." The examiner smiled and pointed at the docunt. "Everyone has finished reading and we're only missing you two."
"What's so urgent?" Cory walked over casually and shook his head. "Everyone knows that I can't read. Just tell instead of writing it down."
No one responded; everyone was silent.
Constantine looked up at the blank young man behind Cory. "Charles, where did you go?"
As if nothing had happened, Charles hid his sweaty palms and shook the bag. "I went to buy—"
Constantine interrupted, "Tell the truth."
He stopped. All the unfriendly gazes moved onto him. The animosity poured into his lungs like so viscous liquid. It sloshed around, almost suffocating him. Smiling stiffly, he forced on a shocked expression. "What's wrong with everyone? I just went to buy dicine."
The examiner took his bag and opened it forcefully. He dumped all the dicine on the table. After examining, he murmured sothing to Constantine.
Constantine's expression darkened. He nodded and looked at Charles. "Co look at this and you'll understand."
Charles walked over stiffly and accepted the docunt. Forcing his trembling fingers to still, he opened it. Extre shock and fear besieged him. He froze in place.
"Hey, what's so mysterious?" Cory ca over and patted his shoulder. "You look scared. What's wrong? What does it say?"
Charles's face was ghastly pale. After a long while, he looked up at Cory with fear and…pity.
"It says…" His voice trembled. "You're the…mole."
Cory froze. After a long while, he opened his mouth to speak. But the smiling examiner appeared behind him. He reached out, covered Cory's mouth, and slit his throat with ease. Fresh blood spurted out, falling onto Charles's face. It was warm and bitterly sweet. So fragrance spread through the air. The docunts were dyed red. He gaped at the na on the docunt. Stumbling back, he landed onto the ground with a thump.
Cory fell to his knees. He clutched his throat, struggling in pain. He looked up at Charles but he could not utter any sound. And then he collapsed. Scarlet blood flowed from his body, pooling around him. In the dust, it turned bruised purple. After too long, he stopped moving.
"Sorry. I must have scared you." Smiling, he pulled Charles up. The young man stared at Cory in shock. After a while, he turned around. His lips trembled but he could not form any words.
"Cory had been bought out by the Sacred City a long ti ago. If he didn't show so signs when he entered the prison this ti, we would've never suspected him." The examiner patted his shoulder. "You were with him for such a long ti. He didn't try to brainwash you, did he?"
Charles shook his head dumbly. He could feel the tears spilling out. Almost breaking down, he choked out, "I-I…you aren't going to kill ?"
"Don't worry. Everyone knows you. How could soone so dumb be a spy?" The examiner chuckled. "You might not know yet, but Constantine has already decided to make you his secretary. You must be cautious against those who want to use you. Thankfully, we discovered him early on. If Cory used you to learn so secrets, it would be troubleso."
He paused and pointed at Cory. "After a bit, I'll have soone check on you. You might not know but that guy is a Mind musician. It'll be bad if he planted a hint."
Charles nodded stiffly. It finally dawned on him and he felt a chill. He finally understood why the Silent Authority was okay with him entering the Revolutionaries as a spy. His upper figure was hidden right beside him, keeping an eye on him at all tis. He had used a Mind music score to control the fat illegal drug trader and remotely controlled Charles to help him find information. When needed, he would throw Charles away to save himself.
That was how it was…
Seeing his expression, Constantine sighed. He patted his shoulder lightly. "Sorry, kid. I didn't think you would be this scared. It was my mistake."
"N-no." Charles managed a smile and wiped his snot with his sleeves. "I was just scared by Cory." After a pause, he pointed at the dicine piled on the table. "My stuff."
Constantine quickly smiled and placed the items in Charles's hand. "Very good. Charles, you are a good kid."
The good kid managed a smile but then his face paled. Covering his mouth, he rushed out the door. They quickly cleaned up the body and everyone left.
Constantine looked at the examiner. "You found the mole and killed him. Are you satisfied now?"
The examiner's smile was still mysterious. He just nodded slightly and looked in Charles' direction. "I hope I am just overly sensitive…"
－
After countless days, Charles was in a dilapidated alley in the corner of the Sacred City. He leaned against the wall and smoked, looking like he was just basking in the sun lazily.
A faint voice traveled to his ears, "According to the information from the Silent Authority, ever since the Revolutionaries began more than a decade ago, Constantine was an important figure. He was always mysterious and not many people saw him before.
"If he wasn't captured this ti, probably even the Silent Authority wouldn't know he existed. His relationship with Gaius is extrely close and compatible. He stayed in the shadows and traveled the nations for Gaius. He apparently has many hidden followers and the high officials of many countries all have contact with him.
"The Revolutionaries rely on his information network to operate for all these years. This ti, Constantine's arrest not only made the Sacred City lose a lot of spies. They also stole a lot of important information regarding the Winter Festival.
"You only need to find so tiny things from Constantine to be free. Don't get too into it, Charles. You don't have to sacrifice too much for the Sacred City."
"I know, Yezi. Don't worry." He smiled confidently. "You know . I run faster than anyone if there's the slightest bit of danger. Even the paparazzi can't catch ."
A thin water vapor thread extended from the sewer and latched onto him. They were in coherence. A hoarse voice sounded in his ear. "Stop saying those stupid things now, Charles." Ye Qingxuan sighed. "If anything happens, don't be stubborn. If you have to sell out the Silent Authority to live, it's fine. Charles, as long as you're alive, I can save you, understand?"
"Don't worry. Do I look like soone who has morals? If I have to, I'll even betray the Sacred City." Charles smiled and waved. "Stop worrying about . I'm really successful. Constantine trusts a lot. I'm already his secretary and help him deal with ssages. After a while, he'll take to see Gaius."
After a pause, Ye Qingxuan sighed. "Take care."
"It's against the rules for you to contact behind the Silent Authority, right? Don't contact if you don't have to," Charles said quietly. "There are so people keeping an eye on too. It'll suck if they find anything."
"…Powerful people?"
"Yes, very." Charles fell silent. He rembered the figure he saw in prison and his pupils trembled. "One of the Revolutionaries' spies has purple eyes. Be careful of him, Yezi. You have to be careful…If you see him, run away. Don't fight him at all, okay?"
Ye Qingxuan froze. For the first ti, he could feel fear from Charles. It was undisguised weakness and fear.
"Charles, even—"
Charles shook his head, interrupting him. "Yezi, I'm begging you."
After a while, Ye Qingxuan nodded slowly. "Okay, I promise you."
"Great." Charles forced a smile. He looked down at his cigarette. He tossed it down and ground it under his foot. "I'm leaving now. Don't worry about . I sleep and eat well and every other day, I get to drink good wine. The days are so nice that I almost forget I'm a spy."
But he hesitated, and before cutting off the resonance, he asked softly, "Mr. Newton…is there still no news?"
"He's still MIA." Ye Qingxuan's voice was dark. "You care about him?"
"It's good that there's no news. At least he's still alive." Charles shook his head. "He lied to to trade with the Revolutionaries but I've never hated him. He taught a lot. I should thank him for not looking down on a failure like . I'm sorry, Yezi. I experinted with your data without your permission. I owe you."
"If you co back alive, let beat you up." Ye Qingxuan sighed. "Hurry and scram. Otherwise, you'll get hit."
"Thanks." Charles smiled, waved, and left.
In the distance, Ye Qingxuan opened his eyes in a peaceful café. After a long while, he could not help but sigh. "Lola, help ," he murmured. "Protect Charles. Don't let him get hurt."
A complaint ca from the air around him. "What sin did I commit in my past life to et soone like you…" The sigh quickly dissipated. It seed that nothing had happened.
"Thanks." Ye Qingxuan smiled. He raised the cup and drank the bitter espresso in one gulp. His lowered eyes were red. He had not slept in ten days.
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