Underground Gang The Prestige with Tilis

Captain Raymond lowered his voice and explained the entire sequence of events.

“The informant under my command had been deep undercover in an underground gang called the Night Crows. Three days ago, he accidentally discovered that the envoy member was secretly in contact with the gang, so he quickly relayed the intel.”

The captain shook his head. “Unfortunately, after passing along this information, he vanished without a trace. I suspect he was exposed and silenced by the gang.”

“An underground gang?” Luo Wei frowned, thinking to himself how the enemy’s lackeys kept sinking lower in stature.

After all, the foes he’d faced before were often anti-human cults, black sorcerers conducting twisted god-making experiments, or the enigmatic vampires. But this time, it was just an underground gang...

Captain Raymond, aware of Luo Wei’s capabilities, quickly added, “Don’t underestimate this gang. Their leader, Fly, is a powerful mutant—a notorious name on the wanted list. Rumor has it his methods are exceptionally cruel and brutal.”

He glanced at Ophelia before continuing, “The reason we planted an informant is because we suspect this gang is actually a long-hidden mutant underground resistance group.”

“These organizations have always sought to overthrow the empire, orchestrating numerous large-scale chaos. So I believe their secret dealings with the Church might be exactly what you and Her Highness suspect—an assassination plot against His Majesty the Emperor during the expo.”

“A mutant resistance group, huh...” Luo Wei pondered silently. He knew there were many such groups, large and small, within the empire—a consequence of Charlton II’s large-scale purge of mutants.

Originally, there were many mutant families like Abraham’s, but now they had mostly vanished. Those who survived harbored deep hatred for the empire and humanity. The gang leader the captain mentioned was likely one who had gone underground during that time.

Still, Luo Wei was more curious about something else. “You said this gang leader is strong and on the wanted list. What’s his current rank?”

“32nd.” The captain’s expression grew graver, and he emphasized, “Based on our experience, anyone in the top fifty demands extreme caution.”

“Oh, I see...” Luo Wei subtly glanced at Tilis, who had just woken up.

He couldn’t help but muse to himself—the top-ranked fugitive on your list is right here. Compared to the infamous “Calamity Witch Tilis,” that 32nd-place guy was hardly worth mentioning...

“Hmm... What’s up?” Tilis rubbed her eyes, yawning as she looked at Captain Raymond. “Oh... Who’s this? Seems familiar...”

Ophelia twitched her lips. She knew just how badly the police, the Special Affairs Division, and even the Church wanted to capture this witch. Seeing her swaggering around the streets of Saint Callen always felt absurd.

“I’m Raymond, an old friend of Luo Wei’s.” The captain studied her, then shot Luo Wei a suspicious glance. Why does it feel like this guy keeps collecting more women around him...

“Oh, hello.” Tilis greeted casually. “I’m Tilis.”

“Nice to meet you.” Captain Raymond nodded politely.

...

An hour later, in a noisy, rundown tavern in the lower district, Captain Raymond slid a mug of dark ale toward Luo Wei.

“According to the informant, the owner of this place is a member of the Night Crows.” The captain kept his voice low. “I have a plan...”

Luo Wei ordered two glasses of juice, handing them to Ophelia and Tilis, both in disguise. Tilis, unfazed by the grimy, chaotic environment, took small sips, while Ophelia sniffed the rim of her glass disdainfully and didn’t drink a drop.

“Too refined for the lower district, Your Highness?” Tilis smirked mockingly. “If you keep acting so stiff, you’ll blow your cover.”

“Not at all. I’ve been to the lower district before.” Ophelia rolled her eyes but still didn’t touch the juice.

Luo Wei grinned at her. Admittedly, some people’s natural elegance was hard to hide. Even in plain clothes, Ophelia stood out effortlessly. He imagined she could make even plain water look graceful.

Ophelia noticed the leering gazes around them and glanced at Luo Wei sheepishly. “Am I not blending in well? Will the captain’s plan still work?”

“Uh...” Captain Raymond was at a loss. His original plan was to investigate the tavern owner covertly, tailing him with Luo Wei to uncover the resistance group’s hideout. But who could’ve predicted Her Highness would insist on tagging along the moment she saw Tilis with Luo Wei? Who was he to stop her?

“No worries, this works fine.” Luo Wei smiled. “I’ve got a simpler, more direct plan.”

He was here to pick a fight.

Just then, three drunken thugs staggered over, reeking of alcohol. Their lecherous grins were unmistakable.

“Never thought we’d see such pretty little things in a dump like this...” The leader swayed, raising his wooden mug with a sleazy grin. “Juice is boring. Come on, let big brother treat you to some real drinks...”

Ophelia glared at them with icy disgust, while Tilis lounged lazily, sipping her juice as if nothing were happening.

“Love drinking, huh?” Luo Wei smirked. The moment the thug reached out, he dislocated both his arms in a flash, then dragged the howling man to the bar. Grabbing him by the hair, he shoved the thug’s mouth under the beer tap.

With a twist of the tap, golden ale gushed straight into the thug’s gullet. Luo Wei held him down until he was bloated and nearly unconscious, then proceeded to beat him senseless.

Captain Raymond watched the thug—now round-bellied, vomiting, and wailing—and shuddered. Suddenly, he didn’t feel like drinking anymore.

As Luo Wei pummeled the trio, chaos erupted in the tavern. The bartender rushed to fetch the owner, who soon appeared—a portly, well-dressed man leveling a double-barreled shotgun at Luo Wei.

“You dare cause trouble in my place?! You got a death wish?! Do you even know who I—”

Just as he was about to pull the trigger, Luo Wei's figure appeared like a ghost at his side. A cane swung down with a metallic screech, bending the shotgun's barrel into a twisted mess.

"Huh?" The tavern owner stared at his ruined weapon, his face paling as he realized he’d provoked someone far beyond his league.

He turned and bolted.

But the moment his foot left the ground, his bulky body froze unnaturally, locked in place as if held by invisible strings.

Black magic—Puppetry.

Tilis sauntered over to Luo Wei, grinning, then glanced at the others scrambling to flee the tavern. With a casual wave of her hand, the front door sealed shut as if welded in place. No matter how hard they shoved, it wouldn’t budge. The tavern erupted into panicked wails.

Captain Raymond was stunned. Since when did investigations work like this?

But his shock only deepened when Luo Wei dragged the tavern owner into a back room. A sinister, dark energy seeped through the air, and the man’s eyes glazed over, his mouth moving mechanically like a marionette’s.

"Our Night Ravens leader... Fly..."

"He never shows himself to outsiders... He has ten hidden hideouts... all in Saint Callen’s underground sewer system..."

"Right now... he’s probably in the northern district... that’s where they store most of the weapons..."

"I... I can take you there..."

The tavern owner spilled secrets the police had never uncovered, his voice hollow. Captain Raymond’s pulse quickened.

"I’ll call for backup!!"