Half-step Purgatory

Durin stroked the black cat on the armrest of his chair, sitting on the black leather sofa. Through the glasses perched on his nose, his gaze passed over the long table in front of him and settled on the man kneeling on the carpet:
"I understand, you've made money in Naples, your business has been very successful, and you've led a happy life. You've had those secret police, friends in both the law and the underground, and even the Royal Family speaking on your behalf."
"You don't need a friend like me, I know that. You're afraid of owing me a favor, and you don't want to get involved in troubles."
"But now you come to me and say, 'I beg you, Mr. Durin of the Corleon family, please help me seek justice, so that my life and my family will not suffer and sink into despair.'
Yet, in your eyes, I was nothing more than a second-rate artist involved in movies and music. Even at the brink of death, you still show me such disrespect, not even willing to call me by my title... Keeper of Secrets."

Durin's Diary

The young half-sized boy's name was quickly inquired.


The Rong Army Academy he belonged to housed the children of lower officer ranks from the commoner faction in the army, and there were quite a number of them.


"Every year, in every region, there are various lower-ranking commoner military officers who die for various reasons, and their wives leave in droves, all of which are a facade. Some widows indeed leave, but some, after our investigation, don't seem to have left but rather appear to have been kidnapped." Ulyula handed his report to Durin, "Someone is systematically eliminating disobedient low-ranking officers from the commoner faction, trying to prevent them from climbing up."


"That harsh? Has the commoner faction not responded?" Durin asked.


Chapter 117: Waves