chapter 113 shocking intel

Sophie's gaze darkened.

Cute Mist wasn't just demanding resources.

She was dangling something even more valuable in front of her—information.

Why was K hunting Dark Solution?

This wasn't just some random grudge.

His bounty on their members had crippled their operations in Viles Town.

He wasn't attacking any other guilds.

Just them.

And despite all her investigations, bribes, and spies, she had found nothing.

Cute Mist's Final Blow

Cute Mist watched the internal struggle in Sophie's expressionless face and decided to twist the knife.

She leaned back, arms crossed, and spoke in a slow, taunting voice.

Cute Mist: (smirking) "Oh, don't worry, Sophie. I know exactly why K is after you."

Sophie's fingers tapped once against the armrest. A rare sign of her irritation.

Cute Mist laughed softly.

Cute Mist: (mocking, sweetly) "You must be dying to know, right?"

Cute Mist: (playful, but firm) "Well, I'm feeling generous. I'll tell you… but only after you sign the contract."

The guild hall fell silent.

Sophie knew exactly what was happening.

She wasn't just being forced into a trade.

She was being humiliated.

Forced to pay for information that should have been hers in the first place.

But Cute Mist was in complete control.

And Sophie hated it.

For a brief moment, she considered declining.

But then—

She thought about Frost Eye's poison resistance monopoly.

She thought about K's endless bounty on her members.

She thought about how Dark Solution was barely surviving.

Her jaw tightened.

Without another word, she pulled up the contract screen.

Her signature appeared.

The deal was done.

Cute Mist's smile widened.

Cute Mist: (cheerfully) "Oh, Sophie, darling~ I knew you were smart."

She clapped her hands together, then leaned forward.

Cute Mist: (whispering, taunting) "Now, listen carefully. I'll tell you exactly why K is hunting you…"

And with that, she spoke the truth.

Sophie sat in the dimly lit guild hall, her eyes fixed on Cute Mist.

Her mind was a battlefield.

She had come here to make a trade. To get something useful.

Instead, she had received a truth so sharp it could cut her throat.

Frost Eye…

That bastard had played everyone.

And Cute Mist?

She had just dropped the truth in her lap—with a smile.

---

Cute Mist's Slow, Merciless Explanation

Cute Mist stretched lazily in her chair, like a cat watching a mouse struggle.

She took her time.

She wanted Sophie to feel this.

Cute Mist: (smirking) "You're a smart woman, Sophie. I'm sure you already connected the dots."

Sophie remained stone-faced.

But inside?

Every single calculation she had made in the last week was falling apart.

Cute Mist leaned forward.

Cute Mist: (mocking, but patient) "Fine. I'll spell it out for you."

She raised one finger.

Cute Mist: "First, Garrett was just some random Level 3 thug. No one cared about him."

Another finger.

Cute Mist: "Second, Frost Eye killed him. Not because of K. Not because of some big conspiracy. Just because Garrett had something he wanted."

Sophie's grip tightened slightly on the armrest.

Cute Mist's smile grew.

Cute Mist: (enjoying this) "And what was that? A ledger. A very, very special ledger."

She held up a third finger.

Cute Mist: "Third, after stealing it, Frost Eye didn't keep it. He didn't destroy it. He sold it."

Sophie's jaw tensed.

Cute Mist: (mock surprise) "And not just anywhere. He put it in the Auction House."

Silence.

Sophie knew what that meant.

The Auction House was anonymous.

No one would ever know who sold what.

Unless—

Cute Mist: (sweetly, but sharp) "And that's where I come in."

She tilted her head.

Her fourth finger went up.

Cute Mist: "Because guess what, Sophie?"

Cute Mist: (grinning) "I had an item."

Sophie's fingers stopped tapping.

Cute Mist: (mocking) "Oh? You don't look surprised. Maybe you already guessed?"

She leaned back, enjoying this.

Cute Mist: (slowly, savoring every word) "A one-time-use, extremely rare, Auction Trace Charm."

Sophie's breath slowed.

That item was insanely rare.

Even super guilds struggled to get one.

It could expose the seller of an item in the Auction House.

A complete violation of anonymity.

Cute Mist: (smugly) "So, when Alex bought the ledger, I used the item."

She snapped her fingers.

Cute Mist: (mock innocence) "And guess whose name popped up?"

Silence.

Then—

Cute Mist: (grinning, whispering) "Frost. Eye."

Sophie remained silent.

But her nails dug into the chair.

---

K's War – A Grand Manipulation

Cute Mist wasn't done.

Cute Mist: (mock curiosity) "Now, you might be wondering—how does this tie back to K?"

She gestured playfully.

Cute Mist: (chuckling) "Well, isn't it obvious?"

Sophie said nothing.

But she was already piecing it together.

Cute Mist: (mocking delight) "Frost Eye didn't tell K anything."

Cute Mist: (laughing) "He didn't go to him, didn't whisper lies in his ear."

Cute Mist: (smirking) "He just let the truth do the work for him."

Sophie's lips pressed into a thin line.

Cute Mist: (grinning) "Once the ledger hit the market, it was only a matter of time before someone connected the dots."

She tilted her head.

Cute Mist: (playful) "And that 'someone' just happened to be K."

She raised a fifth finger.

Cute Mist: (mocking, finalizing) "So, let's review."

She counted down.

Cute Mist: "Frost Eye kills Garrett."

Cute Mist: "Steals the ledger."

Cute Mist: "Sells it anonymously."

Cute Mist: "Alex buys it."

Cute Mist: (grinning) "And thanks to my little trick, K finds out who originally owned it."

She clasped her hands.

Cute Mist: (cheerful) "And just like that—K declares war on Dark Solution."

Silence.

A long, cold silence.

---

Sophie's Response – A Silent War

Sophie sat perfectly still.

Her expression never changed.

But Cute Mist wasn't fooled.

She saw the slight tension in Sophie's shoulders.

The tiny, almost imperceptible movement of her jaw.

Cute Mist leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand.

Cute Mist: (softly, taunting) "So? Was it worth the price, darling?"

Sophie exhaled slowly.

Her fingers relaxed.

Then—

She smiled.

It was a small, calculated smile.

But it was there.

Sophie: (calm, unreadable) "Yes."

Cute Mist's eyes flashed with amusement.

Sophie had lost this round.

But she had no intention of showing weakness.

And Cute Mist?

She loved that.

Cute Mist: (laughing, standing up) "Good girl."

She turned to leave—

But just before walking out, she glanced back over her shoulder.

Cute Mist: (sweet, but cruel) "Oh, and Sophie?"

Sophie looked up.

Cute Mist: (mock whispering) "Be careful. Frost Eye plays dirtier than me."

Then, she walked out.

Leaving Sophie alone with the truth.

And the knowledge that she had been played from the very start.