13 Mink Street

In fact, Karon knew there were two people standing at the bedroom door, and yet he still “praised” the God of Order.

To begin with, he was inclined to see the process through. Leaving things unfinished would leave him feeling vaguely unsettled.

Second, he knew that Lemar harbored no fondness for the Church of Order. They had helped him craft the mask, and for the moment he had little to offer in return. Perhaps it would be better to share a bit of compromising information. That could also bring them a little closer.

Regardless, this information did not harm Karon. At home, Tiz had said it often. When Karon had underwent Divine Seeking, he had rejected the God of Order’s revelation. What others regarded as taboo was as normal as drinking water with both the grandfather and the grandson.

Only, Karon had overlooked how intimidating the “daily greetings” to god that he and his grandfather treated as routine would be to other people.

Lemar’s eyes suddenly bulged.

Hmm. Karon felt that the man’s blue eyeball looked like it must be worth a lot of credits.

Serena was far simpler. Her face showed just a certain kind of pure excitement. Her brother had just covered her mouth to prevent her from saying blasphemous words, while this man had openly cursed out loud. Truly...

Deliberately washing your hair, changing into a white shirt, and pretending to casually stroll past her while flicking your bangs to catch her eye, such a performance is truly beneath notice. Because once a girl has taken a liking to you, even standing there and swearing will strike her as irresistibly masculine.

Karon walked over to Lemar, placed both hands to his chest, and bowed halfway to thank him.

Lemar froze for a moment, then immediately returned the salute with a family gesture.

“I owe you a favor. If there is a chance in the future, I will repay it.”

“Karon, you are too polite. I did all this to repay the grace of you saving my sister.”

“No. I’m sorry. Earlier in the shop, I really should not have done things like that, but I truly did not want to disappoint the face skin my friend entrusted to me. In my heart, I casually saved Serena on that tram. I really did not think much. There was a little girl sitting beside me, eating chips. Any normal adult would choose to protect her.”

“But I’m grown up.” Serena did not want to be treated as a little girl, just as a boy does not want to be recognized as “big brother” by the girl he likes.

“You’re very cute.” Karon smiled at Serena, then looked at Lemar. “You have a very cute sister.”

“Sigh, I think that when I made this body for her, I tightened the elbow screw the wrong way, as it now keeps bending outward.”

“Uh...” Karon did not know how to reply to that.

“How could a mere ring compare to the favor you’ve shown us by saving my sister’s life? Heh heh. My sister’s pottery skills aren’t good, but her baking is very good. Karon, leave your address and phone number, and in a few days, I’ll have her deliver something for you to taste.”

“Yes, yes!” Serena immediately echoed.

“Alright, I look forward to tasting it.” Karon could only nod and agree, but he was still surprised that Lemar immediately pulled out a sheet of design paper and a pen from his pocket.

Karon smiled and took the paper and pen, marking down his address and phone number. After he handed it to Lemar, the man passed it directly over to his sister, right in front of Karon.

With great seriousness, Serena immediately folded it and put it in her pocket.

Karon felt that her brother seemed to have experienced a dramatic change in attitude, though he could also roughly guess why. After all, there was already Pu’er at home who had demonstrated things before.

“By the way, Mr. Lemar, do you know where I can buy Bloodspirit Powder?”

“Bloodspirit Powder? I have some here. Do you need it? Just wait a moment, and I’ll go get it for you.”

“I’ll go too,” Serena said.

“You’re not allowed to go!!!” Lemar felt his tone was a bit heavy, so he immediately smiled at his sister. “The storeroom is too dirty. Go make Karon another cup of tea. He just woke up, and he must be thirsty.”

How could he let her go? What if she decided to pack up the entire storeroom and give it all away!

“Okay, Brother.” Karon followed Serena to the living room and sat down. She brewed a cup of tea and handed it over, along with a pork floss bun.

Karon finished the bun and the tea. He truly was hungry.

“Karon, I’ll go get you some more.”

Serena happily brought out a large plate. Karon took another and ate while asking, “I would like to take some back with me. Would that be okay?”

“Of course! I’ll pack some for you.”

Alfred was waiting outside in the car, and had probably not eaten.

At this moment, Lemar returned, carrying a small flour sack that he handed to Karon. Karon stood up and accepted it with both hands. “Today, I truly have to thank you, Mr. Lemar.”

“No need. I’m also happy to become friends with you.”

“Yes, you’re a good friend.”

“Also, York City has had abundant supply of Bloodspirit Powder on the market for the past few years. If you buy it on the black market, the price is often even lower.”

“Is Bloodspirit Powder a material you also need for your work?”

“Yes, sometimes I need it.”

“Then I suggest that you stock up on it over the next few days.”

“Why? Do you need a large amount?”

“No, but I think that the supply will soon drop. It may even become quite scarce.”

“Alright, I understand. Tonight I’ll place an order on the black market. If you still need more, I can order some more for you.”

“Okay. I can accept the ring, but this and any goods that you help me buy next, please calculate the necessary credits properly. When I have some on hand, I will make things up to you. That is how friends should get along.”

“Of course, no problem.”

“Then I’ll take my leave first. I’ll visit another day.”

“I’ll be waiting anytime.”

Karon carried a bag of bread and a bag of Bloodspirit Powder out of the pottery studio. Alfred was clearly lying in the car, asleep, but when he heard Karon’s footsteps, he instantly awoke. He quickly got out, came around the car, and helped Karon to carry the bags while opening the car door. “Young Master?”

“Everything went smoothly.” Karon sat down in the passenger seat. “Eat those buns first.”

“Yes, Young Master. I’ll eat while I drive.” Alfred started the car. He did not ask where they were headed next, as he had seen the Bloodspirit Powder in the bag when taking it from Karon. Clearly, his young master’s next stop had to be the Pavaro Funeral Home.

By the time the car entered Bluebridge Community, it was already dusk. Karon felt that the sky overhead looked especially clear today.

Alfred parked the car across the road from the Pavaro family funeral home. “Young Master, we’re here.”

Karon nodded. There was a flash of violet light over his body, and the next instant, “Mr. Pavaro” appeared in front of Alfred. “Oh... my god.”

“Try using your Succubus Eye to check me.”

“Yes, Young Master, please forgive my offense.” Alfred’s eyes turned red. After looking Karon up and down, he exclaimed, “There isn’t a single flaw! It’s truly as if Mr. Pavaro has resurrected.”

“Mr. Lemar from the pottery studio is from the Voss family.”

“The Voss family? Descendants of the family that once made a puppet for the God of Abyss to intimidate Hell?”

“Yes.”

“No wonder it’s so miraculous. It’s simply unbelievable! Oh my god, Young Master, even your voice has become exactly the same as Mr. Pavaro’s. I only now realized that.”

“Is that so? Even I overlooked that detail. Alright, I’m getting out first.”

“Young Master, shall I accompany you?”

“I’ll go in alone first. Since I’ve inherited Mr. Pavaro’s identity, some things need to be faced.”

“Will you tell Mr. Pavaro’s wife, Ms. Lake?”

Karon hesitated, then said, “It’s best to not expose this identity. We’ll have to see.”

“Yes, Young Master’s consideration is far reaching.”

Karon carried the Bloodspirit Powder and walked into the funeral home. They had no business for the day, and it was quiet inside.

There, Pike and Dinkom were sitting. Pike appeared worried, while Dinkom was flipping through a book.

Due to their previous interactions, Karon knew Pike was both truly honest and deserving of trust. Dinkom was more flexible minded, and had some independent thoughts, but could not be considered bad.

When Karon walked in, both Pike and Dinkom looked up to greet the newcomer.

Then, Pike’s chair tipped backward and he fell to the floor. The book in Dinkom’s hands was also dropped to the ground.

“Boss!”

“Boss, you’re back?”

The two of them had indeed had an employee and employer relationship, but it was also a little like a master and disciples.

“Mhmm, I’m back. My case has been fully investigated and I’ve been released as innocent.”

Clearly, the funeral home had not received any news of Mr. Pavaro escaping prison and being killed.

“Really? That’s great!”

“This is truly great, Boss!”

The two men were extremely excited. After a moment, they both placed their hands over their chests and said in unison, “Praise Order!”

Ms. Lake seemed to have heard the commotion in the front, and at this moment, she emerged from further inside the building. When she saw “Karon,” her eyes instantly flushed red. She rushed over, grabbed Karon’s collar, and began slapping him.

Hiss... She’s hitting me for real!

And after hitting, she even pinched him. Karon just stood there, letting the woman vent. This was what he should accept, after taking on Mr. Pavaro’s identity.

“You bastard! You beast! You damn thing! You- Damn it!”

The two workers immediately went up to hold the boss’s wife. “Madam, the Whip of Order has cleared up the situation, and the boss was released as innocent.”

“The boss is back! Madam, this is a good thing! A good thing!”

Ms. Lake pulled back, then actually lifted her leg and kicked Karon, striking his thigh.

Hiss...

She had put her full strength into the kick, and had struck him with true force.

Even after being pulled back, Ms. Lake still did not stop. Instead, she struggled against the two workers, wanting to return and continue beating the man who had returned home.

So this is the kind of life Mr. Pavaro has been living at home? Karon lifted the bag.

Dinkom immediately stepped over and took it. He opened it and said in delight, “Madam, the boss brought back Bloodspirit Powder!”

“What?” Finally, Ms. Lake lost interest in beating her husband. She snatched the bag from Dinkom’s hands and checked it. As she did, a smile immediately blossomed on her face.

“Because they misunderstood me, they gave me this as compensation,” Karon explained, but the woman had no intention of listening to any explanation. She did not care where the Bloodspirit Powder came from, she just knew that her two daughters were suffering!

“Pike, boil the water! Dinkom, wash the tub!”

“Yes, madam.”

“Understood, madam.”

Ms. Lake went into her girls’ room, removing the lock hanging on the door and opening it.

Karon hesitated, then followed her in.

The stench of rot in the room was even heavier than last time. Even back then, the Bloodspirit Powder had already stopped, but with Mr. Pavaro’s arrest and then death, the house had only had two Divine Servant workers, and it was naturally impossible for them to obtain a supply of Bloodspirit Powder.

The rot on the two girls’ bodies was worse than last time. Nearly half their skin was in a suppurating state.

The house should have a boiler, so the water boiled quickly. Dinkom soon finished cleaning the tub. After filling it and adjusting the water temperature, both men withdrew with smiles on their faces. This was because every time the two young ladies finished soaking, the atmosphere in the house grew noticeably brighter.

The boss’s brow stopped furrowing, and Ms. Lake would not curse at the slightest thing.

However, the two men closed the door, which meant that every time the two girls bathed, their father was also present.

Ms. Lake was helping the girls remove their clothes. The fabric stuck to the oozing areas of their bodies, so removing the clothes hurt, yet neither girl made a sound.

They must have long become used to such pain, or perhaps, knowing that they were about to soak and obtain relief, they were able to endure everything for the moment.

Karon walked over. Ms. Lake naturally handed him the clothes as she removed them. Karon took them and put them in a small bucket nearby.

Normally, a father and daughter should be appropriate and avoid such interactions, but seeing the two girls’ bodies, and the large areas of rot revealed when their clothes came off, who had the spare mind to think about any of that useless crap?

When the two girls saw their father return, they instinctively shifted closer, wanting to be close to him.

Karon also voluntarily moved closer, but once the distance closed, he saw that the two girls started to avoid him, and even seemed afraid to look into his eyes.

After helping the girls undress, Ms. Lake went to the tub. Karon watched her pour half of the bag of Bloodspirit Powder into it, and then stir it with her own hand.

Although Karon had not asked Lemar the market price of the bag of Bloodspirit Powder, it could not be cheap. The fact that half a bag had to be used at once, it was no wonder Mr. Pavaro could not afford it.

However, Karon did not need to worry about that. If his wages and other channels were not enough for him to obtain enough credits to cover this expense, he would call upon the Allen family and have Borg deliver Bloodspirit Powder each month, or at least deliver the credits needed to buy Bloodspirit Powder.

In no more than two days, news of the Raphael family’s destruction would spread. At that time, the Allen family would not only lose a major threat, they should even be able to reclaim some of the workshops they had lost. Of those workshops, there was likely a Bloodspirit Powder workshop that had been taken over by the Raphael family.

Karon might be determined to eliminate Allen Manor’s influence from his own life, but he would not extend that to Mr. Pavaro’s two daughters. He was not so rigid.

Besides, it was because of Mr. Pavaro’s investigation that the Raphael family’s matter was exposed and they were destroyed. With the Allen family receiving such major benefits, they should share some of that with the man’s daughters.

“Alright, bring them over,” Ms. Lake ordered.

Karon bent down and lifted one girl. She was light, truly having almost no weight.

At the same time, Karon could feel the girl trembling in his arms. She... was afraid.

After placing the girl into the tub, Karon turned back and picked up the second. She was also trembling.

Yet as soon as both girls were placed into the tub, expressions of relief immediately appeared on their faces. Bubbles began roiling up in the tub nonstop, and black pollutants floated to the surface. The corruption was being expelled from their bodies.

Still, the Bloodspirit Powder was nothing more than a stopgap. It was not a cure. After some time, the corruption would regather and accumulate once more.

It might be possible in the future to find a chance to have Pu’er and Kevin stop by and examine the girls’ condition. One had lived to essentially become a holy relic, while the other was an existence even above that of a holy relic. Perhaps they truly could find some other way.

“Sigh.” Ms. Lake exhaled deeply. Seeing the relaxed expressions on her daughters’ faces, she smiled. “You two soak properly.”

“Mhmm.”

“Mhmm.”

She then looked at her husband. Seeing his clothes dirtied from carrying the girls, she said, “Come, I’ll get you a set of clean clothes.”

Karon followed Ms. Lake out of the girls’ room and into the master bedroom.

“You’ve suffered this time too,” Ms. Lake commented as she searched for clothes.

“It’s fine, I believe in Order.”

“Order, Order, Order! You only know Order! If the God of Order could really see, he shouldn’t let our daughters suffer this kind of torment!”

Karon was at a loss for words for a moment, because he could not curse the god together with Ms. Lake.

“Hungry?”

“Yeah.” Karon nodded. Bread could stave off hunger, but it did not last.

“Change your coat and leave the dirty clothes on the floor. I’ll wash them later.” Ms. Lake walked out of the bedroom as Karon changed his coat.

Before long, she returned with some food. She set it on the desk in the bedroom: a large glass of milk, bread, smoked meat, and several sauces.

Karon sat down at the desk and began to eat while Ms. Lake resumed scolding him. To be precise, she was scolding Mr. Pavaro. Overall, her words were about how she must have been blind to marry him in the first place, and that she would have been better off marrying the vice president of the bank near her family home.

Karon simply ate in silence, not talking back at all. He believed that Mr. Pavaro had probably been treated this same way when at home.

Once Karon was nearly finished eating, Ms. Lake seemed to have finally had enough of scolding him, or perhaps she had grown tired of it. She stepped over and pinched Karon’s shoulder, hard.

Karon was in the middle of drinking the hot milk, and the sudden pain nearly caused him to spray it out, but he forced himself to endure.

As though completing a fixed ritual, Ms. Lake let out a long breath, as if she was finally relaxing. “I’ll go check on the girls.”

After saying that, she walked out of the master bedroom and closed the door with a bang.

After closing the door, Ms. Lake did not head to her daughters’ room, but instead leaned against her own bedroom door. As though all strength was instantly drained from her, she slowly slid down until she was sitting on the floor.

Her hands clenched her collar tightly. She bit her lips. Not a single sound escaped her mouth, yet tears streamed down her face.