soul stone

The annual Youkexin Auction is a fantasy playground where big bucks are spent.Ten old men are about to gather together, and under the surface peace of the auction, there is an undercurrent of various gangs vying for power.This is a real grand event for the gangsters, and it is the gangster's power to show off to the world.

No one would have thought that someone would dare to challenge gangsters all over the world.

Except for a few.

"Until last night, the ten old men had arrived at Youkexin."

Xue Ye lowered her head and flipped through the list of auction items, as if she didn't care much about the ten old man's situation.

"I didn't expect that the 'Godfather', who had been shot several times, would recover so quickly...it's really admirable."

"Yes. However, it is said that the spirit is not as good as before."

"What about the others?"

"Leader Raphael's deputy has changed to a new person this time. Zexis didn't come."

"'Pianist'... His behavior was too unnatural, and he suddenly beat up the hostess, causing Raphael's son to be assassinated on the road... Even that Raphael would have noticed it. He didn't directly Extorting a confession by torture is already a great mercy."

"Yes. There is something that you may already know..." Kamijou hesitated.

"You said so."

"Not only Mr. Laroyer, but also the divination texts of the other three leaders, there are hints of 'if you attend the underground auction, you will die'."

Looking up from the auction catalogue, Xue Ye calmly said:

"It seems that something will happen to the auction."

When hearing this, the Crow's Eye didn't miss the flash of bloodthirsty look from the hostess.But she didn't say much, she just adjusted the glasses that didn't need to be adjusted at all.

"What about M. Laroyer?"

"The tenth old man seldom shows his face in front of everyone. He is not the one going to the underground auction."

A stalemate-like silence enveloped the living room.The originally hidden meaning gradually became clear because of the silence.

"You... want to go in person?"

"La Royer will be unhappy if I appear on the stage. Since he knows that the underground auction will be dangerous, he must not want to put me in danger."

"So..." Crow's Eye heaved a sigh of relief.

"Help me cancel my schedule on the night of September 9," Xue Ye smiled and handed Crow's Eye a piece of paper, "Look at this."

Kamijou took it in doubt, and couldn't help but widen his eyes: "This is..."

"It's my divination text. It says that if I go to the underground auction, I will lose my soul."

Kamijou shifted his gaze to the calm face of the hostess.Rather than being calm, it's better to stay out of the matter, as if discussing some other unimportant people.

"I want to see what it's like to 'lose a soul'..."

"How can that be done!" Crow's Eye's face twisted with excitement, "That's too dangerous!"

Seemingly taken aback by her extreme reaction, Xue Ye slightly opened her eyes wide, then covered her mouth and smiled lightly.The laughter reminded Kamijou of the crisp sound of icicles hanging from the eaves falling to the ground and shattering.

"The Crow's Eye, the me I am now is no different from having no soul."

"Eh?"

"I've had enough of waiting...the day finally came."

Xue Ye put her hand on her heart, and suddenly clenched it.The flat kimono was pulled out into several gullies, which looked like the undulations of sand dunes under the dim light.

"I'm going," she said, "and betting my soul."

September 1999, 9, the night of the auction.

Kurapika and Melody were on the rooftop not far from the auction building, using binoculars to monitor the main entrance of the auction hall.

"You don't seem to believe her." The little man said suddenly.

"Hey?"

"Madam, even if she threatens and lures you, you will not be moved." Melody turned her head and looked at the blond boy expectantly.

Kurapika put down the binoculars without answering.

"Indeed, I can't judge whether she is lying based on her heartbeat, but I believe she is telling the truth."

"Sorry, it's not so easy for me to trust strangers...let alone those who threatened me." He subconsciously clenched his fists hanging by his side.

"Hahaha, yes. If it were me, I would definitely take a more gentle approach."

"..."

"In my opinion, she is sincere in this matter. The urgency is also true. So, I don't think she is lying."

"Maybe she didn't lie, but she hid something. And it's a very important thing. Therefore, I can't fully trust her." Kurapika closed his eyes, "I'm sorry to involve you in something irrelevant."

"Nothing. Just, I have a question."

"please say."

Melody looked at the dark sky.Even the stars are eclipsed by the dazzling night view of the city.After a long time, she said slowly and clearly:

"Fiery red eyes... what does it have to do with you?"

The huge auction hall was crowded with gangsters in suits and leather shoes, and there were also high-status bosses present.

As Sister Moelle's deputy, Hiroshi Kamijou also showed up at the meeting of the ten old men.Therefore, she could not attend the auction with Xue Ye, but hid at the back of the auction where the top gangsters might also participate.Although Xue Ye didn't tell her the reason, but since she insisted on coming, Crow's Eye's task is to protect her safety.Sitting down in the corridor on the left side of the last row, Kamijou adjusted his glasses, and soon found the figure of Yukiyo Oyagi.Xue Ye sat at the back of the center, also close to the corridor.Is this location chosen for convenience?

10 minutes to go.None of the ten old men showed up, probably because they saw similar divination texts and dared not come to the scene.The Crow's Eye doesn't believe in divination, and she has full confidence in her ability to escape, but she still feels instinctive fear at the thought of confronting members of the A-level criminal gang—the Phantom Brigade.

She kept raising her wrist to look at her watch.There are 7 minutes left.When she raised her head again, she found that Yuki Ye Oyagi took out her mobile phone and pressed it to her ear.The scene was too noisy, and she couldn't hear the conversation clearly.

Minutes and seconds passed, and Xue Ye's phone calls continued.Kamijou looked at his watch again, 4 minutes left.

At this moment, the wrapping around Xue Ye's body suddenly disappeared.

On the other side of the roof.

Three minutes ago, Kurapika went to answer the phone, leaving Melody alone by the railing.Holding the binoculars in hand, Melody's attention was all attracted by the sound of Kurapika's heartbeat.The two of them confided secrets to each other just now and established further trust. The blond boy's heartbeat had just softened, but it immediately returned to its original state when he saw the person who called.Moreover, the melody was becoming more and more cold, full of hostility, and even suppressed anger.

Maybe he didn't realize it, but even if it's tens of meters away, it's easy for the melody to hear the conversation clearly:

"Sure enough, it will become like this. Then, all the tasks completed before will not be counted, and the rewards will be written off. Is this okay?"

"Whatever you want. I'm not leaving here. This is my job."

"Even if your colleagues are in danger, is it casual?"

"To say 'there's going to be trouble at the auction', please speak to my superiors. Sorry, but that's not in my job."

"you……"

"If there is nothing else, I will hang up first."

"You never want to see your mother again, do you?"

"The dead cannot be resurrected. Five years ago, my mother died, and I buried her with my own hands. The dead cannot be resurrected. This is the truth that elementary school students understand, Mrs. Laroyer."

"In that case, I have no choice but to 'please' you to come here."

"?!"

"Please, come to the auction site immediately." The woman's voice was as cold as ice, "Your mother... is waiting for you here."

The second hand coincides with the minute hand.It was time for the auction to start, but the host was nowhere to be seen.

Looking across the audience, Crow's Eye suddenly realized that Xue Ye had disappeared.When I looked again, it wasn't that I disappeared, but I curled up into a ball, embracing my arms, which seemed to be in great pain.

Regardless of other people's surprised gazes, Kamijou ran to Xue Ye's side in two or three steps, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"..."

Xue Ye's eyes were closed tightly, her brows were furrowed tightly, her lower lip was bleeding from the bite, and her whole body was covered in cold sweat.As if using all her strength, she managed to squeeze out a sentence:

"Actually... able to break through the fine pores and come out... His mother's anger..."

"Hey?"

"Oops...violated...constraints..."

After saying these words intermittently, Yukio Oyagi fell into a coma.Crow's Eye checked with "Concentration", but was dumbfounded by what he saw.An unprecedented terror surged towards her like an overwhelming sea.

At the same time, belated footsteps sounded on the stage.

A small man with a dark expression and a man as tall as a mountain walked to the microphone and stood still.

"Welcome everyone," said the little man.His voice is reminiscent of a violin sawing wood.

The gang members in the audience winked and doubted.Never seen such a weird combination of hosts.

"In this case, we don't need to be too polite."

As soon as the words fell, the big man behind the little man raised his arms, and ten fingers broke in half——

"Go to hell with all of them."

Kurapika watched the auction gate with binoculars.

"You seem... a little absent-minded."

"...you heard all of this?"

The phone call just now was hung up suddenly.Before the woman hung up, she ordered him to go to the auction site.Of course he didn't agree.After that, he heard a sentence:

"This witch... wants to kill you and use it as a vessel for her younger brother's resurrection! Beloved son, don't be afraid, mom, even if I go to another world, I will never let her hurt you!"

Before he could recover, the phone hung up.At the same time, the pain caused by the resonance of the "soul stone" disappeared without a trace like a gust of wind.

In the end... what happened?

Just as he was thinking, two or three black cars appeared in the field of vision of the binoculars.A group of gang members got out of the car and rushed into the gate in full armor.

Kurapika was pulled back to reality, "Something went wrong!"