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

Durin's curse seemed to ignite the vast sea.


The next morning, while Durin was still in bed, Anta had already started reading the newspaper to him.


Durin's young maid, Xialu, had carefully selected eight newspapers for her master, both from those in favor and those against, all discussing Durin's performance at the mediation meeting the day before.


The Wealth Goddess Church's affiliated Wealth Times naturally cursed Durin on its front page headline, calling him the boldest blasphemer of the age.


According to the Wealth Times' description, Durin was a monster with long horns on his head, sores on his feet, and his mouth full of pus—a creature that feasted on the flesh and blood of the people, the utmost despicable beast, a monster without blood or tears.


This monster, named Durin, seemed to exist solely for the purpose of amassing wealth, for which he would disregard all the losses of ordinary mortals, indifferent to the ruined homes and lost lives of those unfortunate souls.


Chapter 228: The Omen of Destruction