Chapter 193: Dark Moon (part 2)

A dimly lit corridor led them forward. After walking about twenty or thirty meters underground, they came to a staircase that ascended into a stone room.

The sounds of flowing water and bustling crowds were now absent. Through the window, Wu Qingsong saw they had moved away from the river and the riverside streets. They arrived in a relatively quiet area.

“Welcome,” a deep and magnetic voice said.

The speaker was a foxman, unlike any Wu Qingsong had seen before. He lacked the usual cunning air typical of foxmen and was not adorned in the lavish robes they often wore. His clothing was simple, and his demeanor was more reminiscent of a resolute wolfman than a crafty, weak foxman.

It was hard to determine his age. His body showed signs of aging, but his eyes still held a fierce desire, strength, and an indescribable quality.

“I’m Dark Moon, the person in charge here, and this is my assistant, Red Moon,” he continued. “Please, have a seat, Mr. Tagraedi. Ladies, I have admired you for quite some time.”

Red Moon was also a foxwoman. Unlike Dark Moon, whose fur was a subdued mix of gray and white, her fur was a vibrant red, making her stand out. Combined with her striking appearance and the slightly revealing, sensual red dress she wore, she exuded a strong and overwhelming presence that was hard to ignore.

Ling and Liuli felt a bit uneasy in this environment.

Red Moon smiled at them, then moved to one side of the room. Soon, the aroma of milk tea filled the space.

The room wasn’t overly decorated, but everything seemed just right. 

From Red Moon’s practiced movements, Wu Qingsong deduced that this was their long-term base rather than a temporary meeting spot. Considering the confidentiality needs of an underground organization, this was a sincere gesture.

“It’s an honor to meet you,” Wu Qingsong said, then sat down opposite Dark Moon with Ram and the others.

Red Moon soon brought over the freshly brewed tea and pastries. 

“Please, enjoy,” she said softly. Her voice, also very magnetic, was instantly likable.

The tea was perfectly blended, and the pastries were obviously top-quality, meticulously baked. Liuli couldn’t help but lick her paws as she ate. 

However, Wu Qingsong was focused elsewhere. He glanced at Xeila and said, “Mr. Dark Moon, let’s get straight to the point.”

Dark Moon smiled. “Just what I had in mind.”

Dark Moon took a sip of tea before speaking. 

“Mr. Tagraedi, Miss Ram, I’ve actually been keeping an eye on both of you for some time now.”

“The pirates of Sorrow Island are your people?” Ram asked.

“That’s correct,” Dark Moon nodded. “The Sakaarans, the Bedouins, and the Saladorans are also our partners. Miss Ram, although we’ve never met, our cooperation has been long-standing.”

Ram felt a bit defeated.

The groups he mentioned were names of anti-Empire forces in central Ladeano. Among them, the pirates of Sorrow Island and the Sakaaran Bearfolk were their biggest buyers of smuggled goods each month, with a consistently high demand. She had never imagined that they were all part of the same network.

Dark Moon casually mentioned details about the distribution and destination of their soap, as well as the intermediaries she knew, even down to specific details about them, completely dispelled her doubts.

“The most stable relationships in this world are based on mutual interests,” Dark Moon said. “Compared to a one-time deal, I much prefer to maintain long-term cooperation. From this standpoint alone, you should trust us.”

“That’s true, but you didn’t bring us here just to reminisce and discuss business, did you?” Wu Qingsong asked.

The other party couldn’t possibly be ordinary smugglers. The names Xeila had mentioned suggested that their influence extended far beyond a single city or region, spreading across many areas of the Empire.

At the very least, from what they knew, the organization had presence in the Imperial Capital, Polopolore Port, and Phoenix Port, and they were involved in much more than just smuggling.

Dark Moon smiled. “Of course! Twilight Moon, how much have you told Mr. Tagraedi and Miss Ram about us?”

“Nothing at all,” Xeila replied.

“Then let me reintroduce myself,” Dark Moon said.

He didn’t say anything further but instead spread his hands forward. Wu Qingsong felt puzzled, unsure of what he planned to do until Ling and Liuli let out soft gasps.

The tea in the cups on the table before them began swirling rapidly, and the water in the cup in front of Liuli even rose out of the cup. It formed a remarkably lifelike little cat in mid-air, which lazily stretched and then started leaping playfully in the air, chasing its tail.

Liuli giggled with delight. She wanted to touch it but hesitated. Dark Moon smiled, and the cat fell back into the cup, turning back into rich milk tea.

This display left Wu Qingsong astonished. He could sense that the little cat was entirely controlled by Dark Moon. If this powerful control could be used in combat, what would it be like?

“This… Are you a magic kind?” Ram asked in surprise.

“Yes, my ability is to control water elements,” Dark Moon replied. “You should already be familiar with Twilight Moon’s ability?”

He didn’t mention Red Moon’s ability, but it was evident that she, too, was likely a magic kind. Judging by her appearance, her ability might be related to fire.

“As you can see, not every member of Dark Moon is a magic kind, but the true core members all have unique abilities. Most of them were found by the organization long ago and rescued from certain death, then carefully nurtured and cared for,” Dark Moon continued. “We are a group of rebels, forced to unite under the shadow of the Empire.”

This was precisely what Wu Qingsong had envisioned but had never been able to initiate due to various concerns and limitations.

He hadn’t expected that someone else had already done it. And on such a scale.

But on closer thought, it made sense.

Across the entire continent, while magic kinds were not common, the sheer number of beastfolk meant that even if the probability of producing a magic kind was one in ten thousand, the absolute number of magic kinds would still be significant. These beings, who had greater abilities than ordinary beastfolk but faced much harsher fates, were bound to unite and resist.