Chapter 244: Doll

Chapter 244: The Puppet

Karen had a faint inkling that the "unknown high-and-mighty figure" his captain spoke of might very well have something to do with himself.

Sometimes, a single remark from a truly powerful figure could make subordinates strain every nerve to interpret it, sparing no effort to arrange matters accordingly. Even if the dignitary himself had no such intention, those below dared not ask, much less gamble on the uncertainty.

There were dozens of Whiplash of Order squads in the York City district, and the Bloodhound squad was undoubtedly among the finest. Yet they were outsiders after all, having only recently been transferred from Sump City. When it came to leveraging connections, they were certainly no match for those pampered, purebred Golden Retrievers.

But now, the tables had completely turned.

In essence, the ripple effect of this matter was much like when his grandfather bombed the Temple of Order.

At the time, his grandfather's sole purpose had been to make some noise for the elders of the Temple of Order, to give them a good scare. He had not anticipated that the single blast would trigger such a massive chain reaction, nor that after so much time and across such a vast distance, his grandson would still be feeling the aftershocks. Of course, Dis wouldn't have cared about any of that anyway.

"Captain, when exactly does the mission begin?"

"We are taking a teleportation array,

"It depends."

"Hmph, I'll collect a little interest first. When I'm fully resurrected in the future, I'll personally go to Dark Moon Island and overturn that fellow's grave."

"He only liked you, that's all."

"But I have no interest in him. Looking at it this way, the stupid dog is still better—at least he knows not to bring trouble to the one he likes."

Kevin, caught in the crossfire once again, could only prostrate himself and bury his canine head.

Karen walked out of the bedroom, while Purr pulled out the sketchbook it had designed. No specific portraits were drawn inside, but all the individual details of the facial features were separated out.

Kevin raised his head and looked at Purr.

"Woof."

"Of course I know he changed the subject, but can I really forbid him from going out to do missions? What right or standing do I have to keep him from going?

After all,

I am currently just a cat kept in the house."

"Woof."

"Alright, alright, a little tantrum is enough. Come here, stupid dog, let's get back to sculpting the face."

...

Driving to the entrance of Lemar’s Pottery Shop, before even stepping out of the car, Karen spotted a woman dressed like a noble lady emerging from the establishment, her face flushed with an unmistakable post-coital glow.

Karen deliberately lingered in the car a while longer, granting Mr. Lemar the courtesy of a cigarette's duration.

Stepping down, he pushed open the shop door and walked inside, discovering Lemar in the middle of wiping down a table.

Seeing Karen arrive, Lemar smiled and said, "Just accidentally knocked over a water cup."

"Mm." Karen had no interest in jesting with Lemar on such matters. He retrieved a pouch from his inner coat lining and placed it before Lemar. "Here are twenty thousand Order vouchers. Ten thousand is for the mask ordered last time, and the remaining ten thousand is in hopes that you can fashion two puppets for me. I'll have the portraits sent over in a few days."

"Very well, no problem. Sit, I'll pour you a glass of water."

"No need to sit, I'll be heading back."

"Mm, fair enough."

Just as Karen prepared to depart, an elderly man pushed open the shop door and strolled in, greeting them with great enthusiasm.

"My dear Mr. Lemar, is the item I commissioned from you finished?"

"It is complete, Mr. Matthews. I shall fetch it for you straight away. Wait a moment—ah, Karen, keep an eye on things for me."

"Splendid, I am quite looking forward to it."

Mr. Matthews appeared to be quite advanced in years, yet he was well-preserved and meticulously dressed.

However, this man’s character was likely deficient; otherwise, Lemar would not have explicitly requested his oversight. After all, he had already bidden Lemar farewell, which could only signify that this elderly gentleman’s hands were prone to being unclean.

"Hello, sir," Matthews greeted Karen.

"Hello," Karen acknowledged with a nod.

"Might I ask where you work, sir?" Matthews naturally produced a half-filled bottle of liquor from his clothes and took a solitary swig.

"The funeral parlor."

"Oh, what a coincidence, that is the very place I shall be heading before long." Matthews proffered the liquor bottle toward Karen. "A swig?"

Karen shook his head.

"Disdainful because my mouth has touched it?"

"Yes."

"You are quite direct, haha."

Matthews took another swig, a pair of crimson flushes instantly surfacing upon his cheeks.

"I feel I might consult you regarding the funeral parlor's services, because... ah, moving along..."

Matthews' frame tilted, and he tumbled forward.

Karen made no move to catch him, stepping back instead to distance himself.

Poised to land face-first, Matthews propped himself up with a single hand, his other hand still clutching the liquor bottle, not spilling a single drop.

"Whew, nearly threw out my back."

Matthews stood up anew, rubbing his waist, while his gaze began to drift across the surrounding shelves.

"Sir, I am speaking in earnest, are your funeral parlor's service fees expensive?"

"Very expensive."

"Ah, then fate shall not bind us, for I possess little wealth."

Presently, Lemar emerged cradling a crate. After setting the crate upon the floor, Lemar opened it in the presence of those assembled.

Inside lay a charming, coquettish doll dressed in a maid’s skirt.

"How is it?"

"Magnificent, Mr. Lemar. Your creations never fail to captivate my heart. Here you are, this is your compensation."

Matthews drew out a stack of vouchers and handed them to Lemar, who began counting them before him.

"You need not trouble yourself, I already tallied them at home."

"That will not do. You are up there in years, and last time you slipped in several counterfeit vouchers. I know it was unintentional, but I prefer not to cause unnecessary misunderstandings between us."

"Mm, you speak truly."

"Very well, Mr. Matthews, you may now escort your beloved companion home to enjoy a candlelit dinner."

"Indeed, I can scarcely wait. Farewell, Mr. Lemar."

Cradling the crate, Matthews nodded once more to Karen and walked out of the shop.

Once the guest had departed, Lemar let out a cold chuckle and remarked, "That man is a petty boss from the black market. His hands are incredibly filthy—not just in trade, but he also fancies thieving things himself."

"Is that a peculiarity of his?" Karen inquired.

"It is."

"Then I shall be going."

"Alright, thank you for just now. You know, without anyone watching, I truly worry he might empty my shop."

"Do not mention it."

Karen pushed open the shop door, and just as he was about to walk toward his secondhand Pounse sedan, he discovered someone already seated inside. It was Matthews, and furthermore, he had already ignited the engine.

Was he intending to steal his car?

Karen strode straight forward. Seeing Karen approach, Matthews gestured toward the vehicle, as though inquiring if it belonged to him. Karen nodded as he walked.

Then, Matthews offered a smirk, slammed his foot upon the accelerator, and the car sped away.

"Hahaha!"

Having driven a street away, Matthews erupted into laughter and cursed:

"A fellow who knows nothing of respecting his elders, leaving an old man on the ground without even a hand to help—this is a little lesson for you, humph."

"Oh, is that so?"

A voice drifted over from right behind Matthews. He stiffened in sheer terror, instantly sensing something frigid pressed against the back of his head. If he was not mistaken, it was likely a gun.

And if he was still not mistaken, it was probably a spell pistol.

Matthews shifted his gaze to the rearview mirror. Sitting in the back seat was none other than the young man he had encountered earlier inside the pottery workshop. Damn it, how had he gotten into the car? Did he turn into a cloud of mist and slip through the seams?

"A misunderstanding, it is all a misunderstanding. I noticed your car was dirty, so I wanted to drive it to a car wash for a cleaning before bringing it right back to you."

"Keep driving. Turn at the corner ahead."

"Right, I understand, I understand."

Following Karen's instructions, the car finally came to a halt before a secluded alleyway. Matthews climbed out and walked into the alley with both hands raised.

"Turn around."

"Of course, sir. Please hold your gun steady, I will fully cooperate with whatever you need."

Matthews turned around to face Karen.

Karen reached out and pulled a gold-rimmed wallet from the man's coat pocket.

"Please, take it. This is the punishment I rightfully deserve."

Karen squeezed the wallet. Even if there were points vouchers inside, the amount would be meager; Matthews had already used most of them to pay the final installment to Lemar earlier.

Thus, Karen stuffed the wallet back into Matthews' pocket.

Matthews froze entirely, frantically stammering:

"Please, you must accept it, otherwise my conscience will never forgive my previous behavior."

"This handful of vouchers is hardly enough to atone for your sins."

He still thought it too little;

And so, Karen was still inclined to give this thief, who had the audacity to steal from him, a thorough thrashing. In the next breath, Karen raised his leg and kicked Matthews squarely in the abdomen, sending the man flipping backward onto the ground.

Immediately after, Karen stepped forward, intending to follow up with a few more kicks. Suddenly, however, he sensed a bizarre surge of energy emanating from Matthews, prompting him to swiftly retreat a few paces.

The area of Matthews' coat pocket—precisely where the wallet had been placed—suddenly glowed crimson.

"Bang!"

A cloud of pink smoke erupted from that spot, completely enveloping Matthews.

"Order Purification."

Karen manifested a purifying barrier before himself. So, there had been something hidden in the wallet after all?

As the pink smoke dissipated, an expression of sheer ecstasy washed over Matthews' face. Lying on the ground, he began to fondle his own chest, his feet scraping restlessly back and forth against the dirt.

"Ah, it itches so much, it is so hot, burning up, ah..."

Thieves loved stealing wallets above all else, so they naturally kept a sharp guard against having their own stolen. Yet someone like Matthews, who rigged his own wallet with an anti-theft trap, was rare indeed.

Seeing him reduced to such a state, Karen lost all interest in continuing the lesson. He returned to the car, started the engine, and drove straight away.

...

In the kitchen, Xili and Mrs. Lake were preparing dinner.

"I am telling you, Xili, if you truly like him, just crawl into his bedsheets tonight. I refuse to believe he would actually throw you out."

"Madam, what on earth are you talking about!"

Xili glared at Mrs. Lake with puffed cheeks to express her displeasure.

"Besides, Madam, the young master has a fiancée. In just a few months, the young lady will be coming over."

"A fiancée is a fiancée, and a lover is a lover." Mrs. Lake brushed it off indifferently. "Furthermore, at his age, he definitely has needs. You happen to be in a perfect position to help him."

"Then... does Madam have needs as well?"

"Me? Ha, I am married."

"Marriage is marriage, and a lover is a lover."

"Uh..."

"Besides, at your age, Madam, you must definitely have needs too."

"You are asking for a beating!"

"You could crawl into the young master's bedsheets tonight, Madam. I refuse to believe the young master would throw you out."

The two women chased each other around the kitchen. Just then, Karen passed by outside and glanced into the kitchen, asking in puzzlement:

"What is going on?"

"We are just joking around," Mrs. Lake answered immediately, stepping into the inner room to wash her hands.

"Yes, yes, Madam was just tickling me."

Karen smiled, gave them a nod, and walked into his bedroom.

"What a wonderful person the young master is," Xili sighed, leaning against the kitchen doorframe.

At that moment, Pick walked in carrying a large crate and asked, "Mr. Alfred went out. This is the crate brought back in the boss's car. Where should I put it? In the study?"

"My, what a massive crate. Just leave it here for now, and I will ask the young master later where to place it."

"Alright."

Pick set the crate down in a corner of the kitchen. After he left, Xili looked at the large box with a hint of curiosity.

"What is inside?" Having washed her hands, Mrs. Lake walked back out and spotted the massive crate. Mistaking it for ingredients, she reached out directly to open it.

Xili hurriedly cried, "The young master just drove back with that himself, you cannot open it..."

But Xili's warning came too late. Mrs. Lake had already thrown the crate open, revealing the sensual doll lying inside to both of them.

The faces of both women flushed crimson in an instant.