Chapter 261

"Did they hide in advance?" Franklin mused, "They must have known about our plan beforehand and made corresponding arrangements."

"So, are they planning to ambush us~??" Feitan's narrow, fox-like eyes squinted, "We've become the prey they're targeting."

"The roles of hunter and prey can be swapped at any moment," Machi said calmly. "The Shadow Beasts, they're the real beasts here. In terms of roles, they're more suited to be captured by hunters."

Shalnark chuckled as he added, "Indeed, they are."

None of them seemed to take the so-called Shadow Beasts seriously. Since there were no auction items left here, there was no point in staying any longer. After regrouping with Uvogin outside, they all boarded the hot air balloon and departed.

A long while later, the mafia's vehicles finally arrived. Upon seeing the empty hall and the vacant safes, they were instantly thrown into chaos.

"What on earth happened?!"

"Where are the auction items?! And the participants?!"

"Why has everyone disappeared?!"

"The smell of blood... the room is filled with the stench of blood!!"

As the pungent scent hit their nostrils, the mafia members' eyes twitched uncontrollably. One of them attempted to step inside.

"Thud."

It was as if something invisible had tripped them, causing them to stumble and fall to the ground unexpectedly.

"Is this... blood?!"

Getting up, they felt the sticky liquid on their face and hands, and the smell grew even stronger. Their expressions turned even more grim. Realizing something was amiss, they immediately began to investigate the scene.

Then...

"Bodies!! They're all bodies and their spilled blood!!"

"Everyone who came for the auction is dead!!"

"The bodies and bloodstains, we can't see them even though they're right here!!"

"Are they invisible?!"

Voices of panic echoed through the chaotic venue, and calls were made rapidly. News of the massacre at the underground auction house spread swiftly to various mafia families.

"Captain Dalzollene said Basho and Squala would come to assist us," Melody said, hanging up her phone and turning to Kurapika.

"Can we find Ivlenkov, Tocino and Baise?" Melody asked, though she had a sinking feeling they might have perished in the chaos.

"Judging by the smell of blood, my blade tells me Tocino and Ivlenkov no longer have any signs of life," Kurapika replied with a calm face, though his eyes showed a hint of regret. They were, after all, former colleagues.

"But as for Baise, I haven't sensed any sign of her death."

"Could Baise still be alive?" Melody's eyes lit up slightly.

"That's possible, but we can't rule out that she might have been captured by the enemy. After all, Baise..." Kurapika left the sentence unfinished, but Melody, as a fellow woman, understood his implications. Her momentary relief turned heavy once more.

"Who could have done this?" Melody asked.

"I suspect it's the Phantom Troupe," Kurapika replied. "Captain Dalzollene mentioned the chaos they've been causing in the city."

Just as he finished speaking, Melody's phone rang.

"It's Baise!!" Seeing the number, Melody quickly answered. After a brief conversation, she hung up, genuinely relieved.

"Baise had left for some errands and escaped the disaster," Melody explained.

"I see..." Kurapika fell silent. Leaving Ivlenkov and Tocino behind during work hours, what could have been so important?

---

Baise always struck Kurapika as someone who took her work very seriously. "Could it be her Nen ability that gave her the foresight to leave?" Kurapika pondered. 

Since becoming colleagues, he had a general understanding of most of his coworkers' Nen abilities, except for Baise's, which remained a mystery to him.

Kurapika attributed this to the possibility that Baise's Nen ability might be related to danger sensing. 

Of course, there was another scenario he hadn't ruled out: Baise might have been forewarned about the operation and knew where the danger was coming from, allowing her to evade it in advance. 

However, their boss Neon's fortune-telling Nen ability could only predict danger at the auction that night, not anything more specific. 

How could Baise know the exact details of the threat unless she had someone within the Phantom Troupe tipping her off? But that seemed impossible...

Kurapika shook his head internally, dismissing the idea. It was best to eliminate one possible correct answer from consideration. Regardless, the fact that Baise was safe was good news for them.

As Kurapika and Melody planned to regroup with Basho and Squala to find Baise, a sudden shout erupted from the mafia members present. "Did they spot those guys' hot air balloon out in the desert?!"

Others quickly received the news, and chaos ensued.

"We have to show those guys who's boss!!"

"Let them know whose turf this is and whose word is law!!"

"Even if they're the most notorious crime group in the world, they dared to mess with us, and they'll face dire consequences!!"

"I'm going to rip those bastards' heads off and use them as soccer balls!!"

"Let's go, let's go!!"

A large group of mafia members surged towards their cars.

"Should we go as well?" Melody asked Kurapika.

"That's not for us to decide," he replied calmly. "The boss's father and Captain Dalzollene will likely give us instructions..."

Before Kurapika could finish, his phone rang.

"Looks like you were right," Melody smiled as she glanced at the caller ID on Kurapika's phone.

The mafias around the world wouldn't miss this chance to prove their loyalty to the Ten Dons and showcase their strength. 

The Phantom Troupe had attacked the city's underworld just yesterday and then struck the underground auction today, leading to a horrific massacre. This was a direct affront to the mafias worldwide and a slap in the face to the Ten Dons.

Naturally, the Ten Dons wouldn't let the perpetrators of these heinous acts go unpunished. This provided an opportunity for other mafia members. 

Capturing even one member of the Phantom Troupe would be a significant achievement. Such a feat would surely earn them favor with the Ten Dons, paving the way for rapid advancement.

As the mafias scrambled into action, high above, in a large hot air balloon, several Troupe members stood together. Uvogin was scratching his chest hair while reporting the situation to Chrollo over the phone.

"Just as we expected," Chrollo chuckled. "The Ten Dons had already moved the auction items."

"So what do we do next?" Uvogin asked.

"We don't need to act ourselves," Chrollo replied. "The mafia and the Shadow Beasts will come to us."

The hot air balloon carrying the Troupe members slowly descended onto a desert wasteland. Eager to make a name for themselves with the Ten Dons, some mafia families had already rushed to the predicted landing site.

Kurapika and Melody, after regrouping with their colleagues, were on their way to the hot air balloon's landing site, driven by Light Nostrade's similar ambitions. 

Inside the car, Kurapika was much calmer than during his initial encounter with the Spiders. 

Having learned that the Phantom Troupe were merely scapegoats for the V5 and had no direct connection to his clan's massacre, 

Kurapika now viewed the Troupe as just another criminal organization, devoid of any special significance. His demeanor was notably composed.

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