Rita Skeeter was feeling very panicked right now.
She really wanted to ask the person in front of her how he knew her home address, and she also wanted to ask what exactly these two things on her body were.
But she didn't dare. She could only stand there rigidly, watching this young man, who was clearly handsome but had no shame at all, adding sugar to her 5-Galleon-per-ounce alertness tea.
Then he drained it in one gulp, showing a pained expression on his face.
"Tch, I thought it was something good, but it's very bitter. Even with sugar, it doesn't taste good."
Although his mental state was indeed enhanced somewhat, this slight boost was temporary, and he rated it as utterly useless.
Throwing the teacup he had found in the cabinet to one side, Evans flopped down on the sofa, crossed his legs, and looked as if he were the master of this house.
But Rita didn't dare show the slightest bit of dissatisfaction.
She could only try to make her expression as harmless as possible, putting on a well-behaved, apologetic look.
At this moment, she was wearing a somewhat ill-fitting pure black robe, and on her head crouched a blue-green creature covered in spikes.
Due to the concealing properties of both creatures, at first glance, one might think she was just wearing a somewhat strange outfit and hat.
But she knew very well that magical creatures not taught in school often meant extreme danger.
Moreover, she seemed to have heard rumors about that robe.
One of the most dangerous dark creatures in the world.
"What? Already cowering?"
Looking at the woman in front of him, who seemed to be begging for mercy with a smile, a trace of amusement flashed in Evans's eyes.
"Looking at your previous reports, I thought you were a righteous person willing to sacrifice yourself just to bring the truth to the people."
Hearing the young man's words, Rita grimaced somewhat awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
"To be honest, those two reports of yours were actually quite truthful."
Hearing this, Rita froze, then a look of panic appeared in her eyes.
What had she written in her previous reports?
A criminal mastermind roaming among various countries, with countless dangerous magical creatures at his disposal, treating laws as waste paper.
A dangerous person who chatted and laughed with famous dark wizards like Grindelwald and Death Eaters and had done countless bad things with them.
A true Dark Lord.
Thinking of what she had written before, then thinking of the two magical creatures currently on her body, Rita's body began to tremble slightly.
And Evans's next words undoubtedly increased her anxiety.
"When I was in America back then, being new to the place, I indeed caused quite a few incidents." A trace of reminiscence flashed in Evans's eyes.
"You know, at that time, there was also a reporter like you who smeared me, saying I was a poacher, a repeat offender who had been surrounded by Aurors multiple times."
"Guess what happened to that person in the end?"
Hearing the young man's account, Rita gradually recalled something.
Three years ago, a very famous reporter in the American wizarding world had given up his job at a newspaper to go clean dragon dung at a reserve.
At the time, she had felt somewhat regretful, not knowing what madness had seized that reporter to abandon being a reporter and go to some dragon reserve.
She had heard he had offended someone he shouldn't have and had been caught with some leverage.
Could it be...
"I see you even know about this?"
The corners of Evans's mouth slowly curved up.
"That makes things easier."
Saying this, Evans stood up and casually patted the dust off his clothes.
Seeing the young man in front of her looking ready to make a move, Rita could no longer care about the two magical creatures on her body and hastily spoke up.
"Mr. Kahn, I'm willing to apologize for my previous behavior and do several feature reports for you to restore your reputation!"
"Not enough," Evans said lightly.
"Then I can also give you money, all my savings, or..."
"No need." Still wearing a harmless smile, Evans spoke softly, "What I want is a mouthpiece that can appear whenever I need it."
This type who studied journalism could be quite useful if they used their talents properly.
Moreover, since studying journalism had corrupted their minds, they were easy to fool and prone to overthinking.
The last one he had encountered was exactly this type of person.
"This..."
Rita hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and nodded.
"No problem!"
Although being someone's dog wasn't pleasant, if this person could make that reporter even more famous than herself abandon everything to shovel dragon dung, then suffering a bit of grievance was nothing.
Moreover...
Just as Rita was considering her options, Evans's next words interrupted her thoughts.
"You might feel somewhat unconvinced, thinking I'm just a brute who threatens people with force or power."
"...You're joking." Rita forced out a stiff smile.
"No, no, no, I've always preferred to convince people with reason."
As he spoke, Evans leaned forward slightly, looking directly into Rita Skeeter's eyes.
"If I didn't have any leverage, how could I casually come to threaten you?"
Hearing this, Rita's pupils contracted sharply, and her hands unconsciously clenched.
Thinking of the rumors about that reporter, her thoughts began to become somewhat chaotic, involuntarily recalling some potential leverage that might have been discovered.
Although she had hidden some secrets very deeply, it wasn't completely impossible for them to be discovered.
And the young man's next words made her heart sink to the bottom.
"Think about it, why would someone who has no connection to you so easily obtain the address of your secret residence?"
"Or, think again, do you have any real secrets that, if exposed, would plunge you into irreversible ruin?"
As his words fell, Evans's eyes suddenly became a pair of silver-gray whirlpools, and the air behind him slowly twisted, vaguely forming a beast's head that resembled a Wampus Cat.
Her thoughts instantly became incredibly chaotic, and Rita felt her consciousness being swept into the sea by giant waves, with no room for resistance.
Was this Legilimency? No, it was more brutal and unabashed than Legilimency!
Under the gaze of those swirling eyes, Rita felt her thoughts being nakedly extracted from her mind. It was as if all her thoughts were laid bare, and all secrets had nowhere to hide.
What was worse, the young man's words had caused her to involuntarily recall some past events buried deep in her heart, and these events seemed to have been completely seen by those eyes.
He had deliberately said that!
Rita instantly understood the purpose of those previous behaviors, but it was too late to understand now.
She now had no way to suppress those already churning emotions.
The whirlpool lasted for nearly half a minute before Evans's eyes gradually returned to normal. He looked at the woman who was covered in cold sweat and had collapsed on the ground, rubbed his chin, and the corners of his mouth slightly curved up.
"Now, Ms. Skeeter, I think we can have a proper chat?"
[Chapter Complete]
***
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