Leaving the pitch-black cavern, the guide took Yoko's hand, heading towards a small cave in the side wall with practiced ease.
Even though he could barely see the ground, the guide's steps were never slow. He could also feel that Number Seventy-Six was no less strong than him, with calluses on her palms that didn't match her slender frame. Perhaps besides serving customers, the underground exhibition used her as a semi-guard. Cultivating someone like this wouldn't be easy; it would be good if he could buy one from Black Money.
While Hil. Fox looked shrewd and capable, he was, after all, an old friend's man and wouldn't follow him forever. Besides, being a man, it was a bit… awkward to have him as a personal guard. Replacing him with Number Seventy-Six would obviously be much more suitable.
Of course, Yoko was just thinking about it. After all, the Black Letter wasn't his property. Four thousand gold dragons had already exceeded Otto's expectations, and adding a personal expense on top of that would probably make the Rossi family, one of the three major families, turn against him immediately, which wouldn't be worth the cost.
Entering the small caves, Yoko found that most of them were naturally formed passages. Due to the narrow terrain, the torchlight seemed much brighter. Moreover, there were many shafts dug into the cave ceiling, faintly revealing the night-shrouded sky. These small paths crisscrossed, leading to deeper cave complexes. Some had been converted into hotels, while others had signs of wine barrels hanging, resembling an underground town.
It seemed necessary to arrange a guide for customers; otherwise, it would take half a day just to find one's room.
"By the way, how should I pay for this auction?" Yoko asked softly, taking advantage of the absence of others around.
"After you confirm the goods are in good condition, just hand the invitation letter to me before leaving the underground," Number Seventy-Six replied with a smile. "I will handle the rest of the procedures for you. You can also visit our taverns, casinos, and warm water pools. Whether you're looking for fun or relaxation, Black Money has corresponding services."
"All the money will be recorded on the Black Letter?"
"Yes."
"What if someone wants to buy the guide?"
"You only need to pay Black Money five hundred gold dragons," Number Seventy-Six answered fluently, seemingly accustomed to such questions. "Sir, would you like to buy me?"
"The key to a relationship isn't how long it lasts, but how enjoyable it is," Yoko said evasively. "What do you think?"
"You're right." She couldn't help but chuckle.
"Speaking of which, can I see your face?"
"That won't do," Number Seventy-Six shook her head. "Unless you buy the guide, the latter cannot remove the mask in private. That's Black Money's rule."
"But you said any service is fine..."
"Of course," she touched her red lips, her words full of teasing. "It doesn't prevent me from serving you, sir."
Yoko felt his excitement rise even further.
"We're here. This is your room," After passing through a series of caves, Number Seventy-Six led him to a wooden door embedded at the end of a cave, with the same number as her code engraved on the door. "The house is divided into inner and outer rooms. I will sleep in the outer room tonight. You can call me if you have any instructions."
After the door opened, Yoko couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, "This is the outer room?"
The cave behind the door was narrow at the front and wide at the back. The so-called outer room was only the length and width of one person, with only a layer of straw on the ground. Sleeping there was probably no different from a stable.
"After all, it's underground, and it's hard to find so many suitable rooms," the guide waved her hand indifferently, then opened the second door for him.
The inner room wasn't much more spacious either. Besides a large bed and two soft chairs, there was basically no room for anything else.
"Ugh! Ugh!"
Yoko walked into the room and immediately saw the witch he had bid for. Her hands and feet were spread out, firmly fastened to the iron rings on the wall, with a white cloth stuffed in her mouth. Seeing someone enter, she immediately struggled in panic.
His mouth twitched a few times, and he immediately cursed Black Money from top to bottom in his heart.
He originally thought that the residence would be divided into at least several compartments, with a special cage for imprisoning slaves, but it was so simple?
How was he supposed to enjoy the long night with Number Seventy-Six like this?
Perform a live show in front of the witch?
Spare him. This kind of behavior was probably worse than laying a hand on her directly. The thought that Otto also wanted him to gain the witch's trust made Yoko frown even deeper.
"Black Money should have other housing, right... I mean, the kind that costs extra money," he asked helplessly.
"Considering that some guests have higher requirements for bedrooms, we have semi-open-air residences closer to the ground, and water-adjacent rooms close to the underground dark springs."
Sure enough, merchants were simply outrageous when it came to making money.
"What's the cheapest?"
"Three gold dragons a night."
This price was almost enough to stay in a hotel in the inner city of the royal capital for half a month, Yoko thought to himself. However, compared to four thousand gold dragons, this amount was nothing to mention. He could just treat it as a handling fee; Otto. Rossi shouldn't mind.
"You go out and wait for me for a while," he said after thinking for a moment. "I have some things to talk to this witch xiaojie about. I'll call you when I'm done."
"Yes, sir," Number Seventy-Six respectfully withdrew from the room.
Yoko took off his coat and walked to the witch. The latter struggled even more violently, with fear and dread in her eyes.
He sighed and draped his coat over her. "Listen carefully, I'm here to rescue you at someone's request. No one will hurt you. As long as you don't make a fuss, everything will be fine. Nod twice if you understand."
The witch stopped struggling. She stared at Yoko for a long time, as if she couldn't believe what she had heard.
The ambassador had to repeat it again, slowing down his voice as much as possible. Although she was very beautiful, this kind of immature little girl really wasn't his type.
This time, she finally nodded.
Yoko breathed a sigh of relief and reached out to pull the cloth strip out of the witch's mouth.
"Who exactly are you?" she asked after coughing a few times.
"Someone who came to rescue you," Yoko returned to the bed and sat down. "Do you have a name?"
"Amy," she paused. "Since you're here to rescue me, why don't you release me?"
"What if you run away? If you get caught, I don't have another four thousand gold dragons to buy you again." Yoko spread his hands. "For safety's sake, you'd better stay restrained. It won't easily arouse suspicion either. After we get out tomorrow, I'll set you ziyou, how about that?"
"Really?" Amy asked dubiously.
It was no wonder she was discovered and reported for trusting others so easily, he thought to himself. Fortunately, she met him this time; she was lucky.
"Not only that, but I'll also introduce you to a gathering place for witches. There are many companions waiting for you there, and you don't have to hide all day." Yoko stood up. "So just wait obediently until tomorrow, understand?"
"Wait, where are you going?"
"Of course, I'm going to enjoy the sweet nightlife," he grinned.
Just as Yoko was about to call Number Seventy-Six, chaotic footsteps suddenly sounded in the outer room, followed by dull thuds of heavy objects colliding. Everything came and went quickly. After only a few breaths, the outside returned to silence once again.
"Number Seventy-Six?" he tentatively asked, but there was no response.