0p0 Chapter 382 Kroeber
Chapter 382 Kroeber
Dadaupa Valley, a cave unknown to anyone.
The cave entrance is located on an inconspicuous platform on a cliff face, hidden beneath a pile of rubble.
If one were not lowered down a rope from the top of the cliff to the platform for observation, it would be impossible to discover the secrets of this place.
Not to mention, Dadaupa Valley is located on the edge of Mondstadt and is usually the territory of Hilichurls and Slimes.
Aside from adventurers accepting quests to hunt monsters, few people would specifically visit this place on ordinary days.
Therefore, who would have thought that there would be a naturally formed crevice cave inside the cliff?
Mountain springs flowed intermittently between the rock crevices. Although the rubble inside the cave had been mostly cleared away, the moss that had accumulated over the years covered the area, making it look dilapidated and desolate.
This contrasted sharply with the superior elemental armor worn by the Fool soldiers guarding the cave entrance.
Medicines and supplies were piled up on the ground, and heavy equipment was disassembled into several parts and haphazardly stacked in the corner of the cave.
Clearly, this place has become the Fatui's temporary base, and also their outpost before they move into Mondstadt.
Diplomacy is not the only means to achieve one’s goals, but resorting to force is only a last resort.
With Grand Master Falgar personally overseeing the Knights of Favonius, their strength is not to be underestimated. A direct confrontation is clearly not the best option, but that does not mean they are helpless.
For example, infiltration, or collusion.
"This place is humble and our hospitality is inadequate. Please forgive us."
"I hope our cooperation will continue to be just as pleasant in the future."
Two fools stepped forward and opened the two boxes.
The box wasn't large, and one of the boxes contained a stack of checks for 100,000 moras, stamped with the special seal of the Northern Bank.
Roughly calculated, the amount that this stack of checks could be cashed at the Northern Bank would probably be no less than ten million.
Not to mention the top check, which, despite having the exact same stamp, had no space left for the amount to be filled in.
"This is your reward and funds. Trust me, 'Doctor,' you won't mistreat a smart and sensible person."
The man who spoke had a brown mustache in the style of a jappa and wore a blue Fontaine-style tuxedo. His polite demeanor made him easily associated with the word "gentleman."
He was Dr. Daughtore's adjutant, Kropp.
My purpose in coming here is to carry out the orders of the Second Executive of the Fools to establish an outpost for infiltrating Mondstadt.
Standing before Kroeber at this moment was another person draped in a black robe, whose face and expression were obscured.
But his trembling fingertips betrayed his feelings, especially when he took the box containing the checks.
He had never seen such a huge amount of Mora before, and now he had control over it.
Klopp leaned forward gracefully, lowered his voice, his eyes gleaming, and seduced him in an almost devilish tone:
"You can allocate this Mora as you see fit. 'Doctor,' you only care about the result; the process... is irrelevant."
This statement is almost a clear indication that no matter how much Mora the other party embezzled, the Fools will not pursue the matter.
The man in the black robe trembled, a glint of greed flashing in his eyes. This scene was witnessed by Kroeber.
"The premise is... that you have done your job well."
He slowly added another sentence, but his suddenly cold tone was enough to send chills down one's spine.
"The Doctor only needs two types of people."
"One type is a useful person, and the other type, in a sense, is also a 'useful person,' hehehe..."
As he said this, two Fools behind him were carrying a long, narrow box.
The lid of the box was just opened, revealing that the inner wooden planks were covered with scratches of varying depths and a dark red color that had obscured their original hue.
As for what it was, the faint smell of blood wafting from the side was enough to give a pretty good idea.
Seeing the people in front of him trembling with fear, Krobor seemed quite satisfied. He then clapped his hands, signaling the Fools soldiers behind him to open the other box as well.
This time, they were much more cautious.
Inside the box, a crimson fire elemental "Eye of God" lay quietly on a red velvet brocade.
However, upon closer inspection, one can discover that the color of this Eye of God is duller than usual, clearly indicating the presence of fire element. Yet, upon approaching it, one can sense a chilling aura carrying malice.
"This is one of the Doctor's greatest and most prized works, a perfect replica of the Eye of God."
Kroeber’s words carried a hint of persuasion, as if he were introducing a masterpiece of art.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to receive the attention of the gods.
"For those poor souls who never receive divine favor throughout their lives,"
"Elemental power is as unattainable as Sky Island."
He paused deliberately at this point because he saw the longing in the other person's eyes—a longing for power.
"The 'Evil Eye' allows you to freely manipulate elemental power without relying on the Eye of God; for those who wield the Eye of God, having another elemental power isn't a bad thing."
"This is a priceless treasure on the black market, with countless people eager to acquire it, yet none of them have ever found a way to get their hands on it."
Krober took the Evil Eye out of the brocade box, played with it, chuckled, and tossed it to the black-robed man with burning eyes.
The dark red evil eye traced a bewitching parabola in the air before being caught by the person opposite in a flustered manner.
"But what they don't know is that this is just a small project that 'Doctor' casually developed, hehehe..."
"Go, and don't disappoint the 'Doctor'."
Krober laughed and turned to disappear into the darkness. The man in black stood up, his face, hidden under his hood, rapidly changing before finally settling on a resolute expression mixed with insane greed.
The next moment, his figure disappeared into the darkness.
The elegant adjutant's lips curled slightly upward. He didn't turn around, but instead casually asked his subordinate beside him.
"Has everything been resolved regarding that adventurer?"
The Fools looked troubled when asked the question, and Klopp's face darkened at the sight; he knew all too well what that expression meant.
Although the adventurer most likely found nothing, since she got close to this place, she can only be considered unlucky.
Disguising an attack as a monster shouldn't be too difficult.
"Hmph, who is it that can't even handle such a small matter?"
A pale-faced debt collector emerged shakily from the darkness, meeting Klopp's cold gaze. His steps faltered slightly, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.
If we were to ask which of the Fatui Enforcers is the most popular among the soldiers, it would undoubtedly be the number one, "Captain".
But when it comes to who is the most unpopular, the answer is undoubtedly yes, because working under "Doctor" is a job that is universally acknowledged to be extremely risky.
According to rough estimates, in the past decade, the attrition rate of the deputy chief executive officer of the Fools has reached as high as 90%.
As for the reason for the damage and where it went after it was damaged, no one dared to say or ask.
Making the best use of resources is a traditional virtue of the Second Seat.
Seeing this, the adjutant who had just been questioned looked somewhat reluctant, hesitated for a moment, and then offered an explanation.
"Lord Krobor, everything was going smoothly until a Knight of Favonius suddenly appeared, so..."
"Hmph, trash, not even a Knight of Favonius..."
Just as Krober was about to reprimand him, his gaze suddenly sharpened, and his expression turned extremely ugly in an instant.
He strode forward, past his bewildered subordinates, and looked at the ground behind the debt collector.
There, a trail of bloodstains stood out conspicuously.
The next moment, the blade mercilessly pierced the debt collector's throat, and he stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
Klopp's voice rang out, chilling yet filled with fury.
"Idiot, destroy the supplies immediately and evacuate right now!"
……