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

Sir Durin's playful question went unanswered; his brother sighed deeply,


"I feel terrible, don't they understand that if the Sidney Grain Group wins, the cost of living for every commoner on this land, be it a farmer, a civilian, a City Guard, or a small merchant, will be elevated to a horrifying level?"


"Why should they understand that, my brother? In their eyes, these people are not even human, whereas the shareholders of the Sidney Grain Group are the true humans, the nobles, the Great Merchants, the embodiment of capital." Having said that, Durin smiled and turned to Xialu, "Let's not read the left side, Xialu, tell us about the right side."


"Of course, master," Xialu replied, then moved to the other side.


The first front-page article Xialu read was from Wisdom Daily.


The headline made good sense—even gamblers know they must accept their losses, so why can't the Sidney Grain Group's people understand this?"


Chapter 221: Fireworks