Chapter 47: Challenging a Higher Sequence! Lanulius's Moment of Glory!
"Who we are isn't important."
Nairn, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.
He slowly stood up from the sofa, walked over to Lanulius, and looked down at him with eyes full of mockery.
"What's important, Mr. Lanulius, is that your play was performed quite poorly."
Nairn extended a finger and lightly tapped Lanulius's desk.
"It's full of holes."
"First, your choice of target customers was problematic. You specifically targeted citizens who had some savings but lacked professional knowledge. While these people are easy to cheat, their capital is too small. You need to scam many people to gather the amount you want. With more people, it's easier to be exposed."
"Second, the scam itself is too crude. This so-called 'high-grade iron ore'—you didn't even understand basic geological common sense before trying to deceive people. These blueprints hanging on your wall are drawn like a child's scribbles. And these so-called 'photos with celebrities'..."
Nairn walked to the wall and casually took down a photo of Lanulius with the "Mr. Mayor."
"The artist you found is terrible. The lighting, perspective, and character proportions are all wrong. Anyone with even a bit of artistic appreciation could tell at a glance it's fake."
With every sentence Nairn spoke, Lanulius's face grew a shade paler.
He felt like a Clown who had been stripped bare; all his disguises and Lies were ruthlessly torn apart in front of the other man.
This man wearing a Monocle... who exactly was he?
How could he know everything so clearly? He even knew the artist he hired was bad?
Fear began to sprout wildly in the depths of Lanulius's heart.
"Finally," Nairn tossed the ridiculous photo onto the ground, where it shattered with a crisp sound, "and this is the most foolish point."
"You should never, ever have targeted Ms. Megose."
When the name "Megose" came out of Nairn's mouth, Lanulius's pupils constricted sharply, and the last trace of color drained from his face.
He not only wanted to scam Ms. Megose's money but also used his Beyonder abilities to mentally induce her, wanting her to become his lover.
Even to achieve some unspeakable things.
This matter was the most secret part of his plan. Besides himself, it was impossible for a second person to know!
"You... who... are you?" Lanulius retreated step by step until his back hit the cold wall, with nowhere left to go.
He was ready to strike at any moment.
As a Swindler, an escape route must always be prepared.
"Me?" A brilliant smile appeared on Nairn's face as he adjusted his Monocle, the lens reflecting an eerie light.
"I'm just a passing... 'Swindler' who can't stand your inferior scamming techniques."
The moment he finished speaking, Lanulius was horrified to find that Nairn's face was rapidly changing!
His features began to twist and reorganize. Within a single second, they turned into a face he was incredibly familiar with—one he saw in the mirror every day!
That face was none other than Lanulius himself!
Another version of himself!
No, this is impossible!
This is an illusion! It must be an illusion!
He was a sequence 8 "Swindler" with a certain level of mental resistance; ordinary illusions couldn't possibly work on him!
Unless... unless the other person's Sequence was far higher than his!
This thought was like a bolt of black lightning, shattering his last bit of hope.
I must escape!
Lanulius's gaze swept across the room and finally settled on Leonard, who had behaved like an impulsive, naive rich young master from beginning to end.
He's the one! The softest target!
Without a second thought, the Beyonder power within Lanulius's body erupted. He didn't attack directly but instead activated the core ability of a "Swindler."
He wanted to cause chaos in everyone's senses simultaneously!
As long as he could create a moment of confusion, he was confident he could escape!
Invisible mental power surged toward Leonard like a tide, attempting to trigger this sensory Deception centered on him.
And then... there was no then.
Lanulius couldn't even comprehend what had happened. He only felt his released Beyonder power vanish like a clay ox entering the sea—no, it was like a drop of water falling into a boiling pot of oil, instantly evaporated!
"Hmm?"
Leonard tilted his head slightly, his face still wearing that slightly dazed and innocent expression belonging to Master Mitchell.
But in his mind, an aged and lazy voice gave a yawn.
"Oh, little fellow, trying to play with sensory and cognitive Deception in front of a 'Marauder' King of Angels? Does he... have some misunderstanding of the word 'Deception'?"
The corner of Leonard's mouth twitched slightly.
He hadn't even done anything. Pallez Zoroast, residing within him, simply by 'existing,' crushed all of Lanulius's schemes with his very presence.
This was like a child wanting to play with fire, only to crash headlong into the core of the Sun.
This was no longer just showing off skills before a master.
This was lighting a lamp in a latrine—seeking death!
Immediately after, an irresistible force swept back in reverse.
He felt like he had lost something.
What was it?
Was it control over his body? The ability to think? Or... his understanding of the concept of'Swindling'?
He didn't know.
His consciousness instantly fell into a blank void of chaos... [Game Over]!
Nairn whistled inwardly as he watched Lanulius being dragged away like a dead dog by the arriving Nighthawks, observing three seconds of silent mourning.
This kind of luck is truly one of a kind.
He could practically be compared to that 'Master Luo' who challenged two Pillars alone and eventually contributed the 'Marionettist' characteristic to Mr. 'Fool.'
Both were frantically testing the boundaries of death and accurately stepped on the loudest landmine.
"This time, there won't be any strange drama about an innocent girl getting pregnant out of wedlock, right?" Nairn muttered to himself.
The reason he intervened was purely because he couldn't stand the play Ince Zangwill and Adam were preparing to direct.
Using Megose to give birth to a Son of God?
Heh, this kind of script has no originality at all; it completely fails to meet Nairn's aesthetic.
Of course, he also knew that Ince Zangwill had already placed his bets, and behind him was the King of Angels of the 'Spectator' Pathway, Adam, laying out the plan.
His little bit of interference couldn't stop the eventual birth of the Son of God.
So Nairn didn't force the issue.
The Son of God could be born, but it would be best if the process exceeded everyone's expectations.
Dealing with it that way would be much more delightful, wouldn't it?
Nairn's thoughts began to drift, and various modified scripts appeared in his mind.
For instance, instead of Megose, change the target and have Mr. A, who hadn't appeared in Tingen yet, host the ritual, or simply have Madame X of the Aurora Order come to conceive?
Even more bizarre, let Madame Sharon, the 'Demoness' known for being 'good at socializing' in Backlund, be the vessel for this conception?
But... why do these scripts feel so familiar?
Nairn shook his head, tossing aside these overly wild ideas.
He still had to take precautions; if he were truly set up by some old schemer, the fun would be too much to handle.
As for if he really couldn't prevent it in the end, that's a different story.
He wasn't here to be a nanny for this world; he was just a director pursuing fun, wanting to personally direct a good show.
Megose cannot die.
This was purely out of a director's pursuit of 'dramatic aesthetics.'
It had nothing to do with morality... probably, most likely... and drama should have surprises and variables; that was Nairn's requirement.
"So, Ince Zangwill... or rather, Adam."
The corners of Nairn's mouth curled up slightly.
"How will you make your move?"