Eternal Thief

Buck's heart trembled when he felt the killing intent. He knew if this 'master' of his didn't get what she wanted, he was dead! 

"I-I supply them with goods I plunder from the different caravans, and they sell them for me after taking commissions. As for the middleman, it was always a different person. 

"I have to leave a message on a special spot to contact them and after seven days a middleman would be there to take the goods from me and after another seven days I received the payment on the same spot from a different person!"   

Pablo quickly told everything about how he contacted and deal with All-Knowing Parrot. 

"Wasn't he an information broker?" Noa coldly inquired.

Pablo quickly replied, "Yes, he's an information broker and with money, you can buy any kind of information from him. As long as he knows, he'll sell it to you, no matter how big of a secret it is! 

"However, this was just the part of what All-Knowing Parrot does, and only people who made a deal with him know about it. Although he's infamous for his dark information network, he's also running a black market! 

"Those people called it the 'Spica Syndicate' and All-Knowing Parrot seemed to be the leader. Furthermore, this syndicate was backed by many powerful people, mostly criminals and people like me, who wanted to keep their hands clean." 

'This is troublesome. Who would've thought this All-Knowing Parrot is running this dark syndicate all along, and this was probably the reason he wasn't caught yet.' Noa mused gloomily, 'Should I go back and report it to Leader, he probably didn't know about this, right?' 

Noa was right, Ace didn't know or ever imagine that the little information broker he wanted to capture was a syndicate boss all along, or he would never make this kind of mission for Noa! 

'No, if I go back without even trying, the Leader might think to belittle me! I have to complete this mission no matter what, at least I can't go back until the hundred days' time limit was over!' Noa quickly threw the idea of going back to the side and strengthened her resolve.

She has to find the solution to her plight on her own. Furthermore, it's not like she didn't have any clues to work with! 

"I want you to contact this middleman right now!" Noa knew if she wanted to reach the All-Knowing Parrot, this was her only way! 

"Y-yes right away!" Buck quickly agreed! 

Buck knew he just got a new lease on life, so he quickly moved as he guided Noa toward the other part of the large forest, which was quite barren. There wasn't anything special about this place. It looked normal as it could be. 

Noa also scanned her surrounding but found nothing special about this place. 

However, Buck seemed to know where he was going, and very soon he stopped in front of the tallest tree in this area. Without waiting for Noa's command, he took out a small white stone which was engraved with a special rune symbol! 

Noa coldly observed without interfering with Buck's actions. She saw Buck place the white stone on the slightly hollow tree trunk and the moment the stone touched the tree trunk, a small door appeared! 

"An illusion array!" Noa snorted coldly, with a hint of astonishment in her impassive eyes. 

"Yes, this is one of the All-Knowing Parrot's methods of communication!" Buck nodded in affirmation as he opened the small compartment and said, "We just have to place the letter in it, and they'll know." 

"How will they know you place it here, right in the middle of nowhere?" Noa naturally had her doubts. 

"This…" Buck was also perplexed about how he could answer this before he said with a small sigh, "Truth to be told, Master, I didn't know about this as well, but they will respond in exactly seven days!" 

"Fine, let's wait here for seven days and if no one comes, I'll place your head in that compartment after seven days!" 

Buck shuddered to hear Noa's words laced with killing intent. He knew this lady wasn't joking in the least bit! 

"Please spare me, master!" He quickly pleaded for mercy. 

Although he was a slave, he could tell Noa wasn't interested in him from the start. She probably approached him because of All-Knowing Parrot and if she found him useless, he'll be dead and done! 

"Shut up!" Noa coldly scoffed. If not for Buck's value, she would've killed him right now and gotten rid of this burden! 

Buck's light golden face was ashen, but he didn't dare to retort, and quietly followed Noa and hide in a hiding place very close to the tall tree. They could see everything from here while they remain well hidden. 

'Oh, great deity Baphomet, please save this lowly one just this once, and I'll stop doing these crimes!' Buck can now only pray to their great deity, nothing else! 

--- 

While Noa and Buck were hiding not far away from the tall tree, out of both of their sights, a tiny bird only a size of a fist was observing the duo with its intelligent eyes without blinking. 

After the little bird 'saw' Noa and Pablo hiding instead of leaving the area, its small beak opened and close a few times, but no sound was made as if it was mute. 

However, at this moment when the bird's beak open and close, far, far away from Iron Demon City inside a spacious room filled with beautiful paintings and decoration, a fairy-like demon was meditating but her mesmerizing eyelids snapped open, revealing two ocean blue eyeballs. 

A hint of astonishment flashed past her eyes before the slightest killing intent leaked before vanishing completely as she returned to her tranquil, aloof self. 

She mumbled something and a few moments after, a small bird flew inside the beautiful room and sit on her slender icy blue finger.   

"Iron Demon City hideout has been compromised. Sent my order. Stop all the deals within that area!"