Catastrophe Card King

“The Lionheart Family in Lion City on the Old Continent had a major incident three days ago. But for some reason, the news has been blocked. It’s said that several important figures were assassinated. The information we have is that it has to do with the internal struggle for the inheritance within the Lionheart Family… What can be confirmed, is that the recently conspicuous S-tier Fugitive was directly involved…”

“The Main Family of the Miller Family has already sent people to take over Sinless City. And they have discovered several important mechanical relics at Demon Cross; the Mechanical Legion is already taking shape. It’s rumored they have mass-produced mechanical equipment that poses a threat to even High-Order Card Masters…”

“The other families among the Five Senators have already sent people here. The explosion at Gold-digging Dock not long ago, that was their doing. In the sewers of East City, one might find shadows of those dead soldiers…”

“Oh, and also, those Revolutionary Army cadres who were hiding out through Flood Gang showed up recently in Starfall City in the southern part of the Federation, causing some disturbances. That ‘Lady Valkyrie,’ Jones, has killed a Federal Brigadier General…”

“…”

One has to admit; these professional Information Merchants are impressive.

Some of their information is even more detailed than the noble newspapers.

Leonard Churchill also listened calmly, occasionally asking a few questions about things he was interested in.

It wasn’t long before Sister Bonny stopped speaking.

Leonard knew his money was spent and did not continue to inquire.

With this information, plus the content from the newspapers, he had a fairly good understanding of the recent general developments in Sinless City.

Sister Bonny knew the rules well; seeing that Leonard was no longer asking for more, she neither spoke out of turn nor asked anything irrelevant.

The transaction was over.

Sister Bonny stood up to leave, but being in the business of seeking wealth, she added one more thing, “Sir, do you need an extra piece of information? It’s just ten thousand.”

Leonard looked at her and said indifferently, “Speak.”

These shrewd Information Merchants would only speak up if they believed the information would interest their client.

Sister Bonny did not ask for money first this time but said, “Recently, there’s been a noticeable number of people inquiring about ‘Upper State Prison’ information. According to what I’ve heard in the trade… the X Bureau, and some Senators are taking an interest.”

Leonard’s expression remained unchanged as he listened, but he mentally noted it with additional attention.

This information was, indeed, quite important to him.

…

Having paid the money, Sister Bonny walked out of the tavern with her seductive, swaying hips.

Leonard took out the document bag and started looking through the intelligence he had bought.

As he read, his brows gradually knitted together.

He had bought information on two main topics.

The first was about Abel.

The second was Upper State Prison.

“Before joining the Brotherhood, Abel did indeed work as a transport worker in Upper State Prison… fifteen years ago…”

The reason Leonard wanted to investigate this was not only to confirm the origin of the Gluttony Breathing Technique but also to use the timeline to deduce whom Abel might have come into contact with during those years.

This was the only method he could think of to find that “mysterious person.”

After all, as the information stated, Upper State Prison was a place of entrance without exit.

Anyone who entered the prison would never be able to leave for life.

“This prison is really mysterious…”

As he read on, Leonard became increasingly convinced that there was more to the situation than met the eye.

He had previously assumed Upper State Prison was just that—a prison.

It was only after learning that the Gluttony Breathing Technique originated there that he first sensed something amiss.

And now, reading about this “entrance without exit” and that the prison was managed by “Golden Oak Security Company,”

Leonard realized something was far from simple.

To the average person, Golden Oak Security Company was the peacekeeping bureau of Sinless City.

Leonard had even worked as a low-level Corpse Collector for this company.

But he knew too that this security company was a power secretly supported by the Orlan Remnants.

So then, the question arose.

Why would the Orlan Remnants control a prison?

It must be profitable.

As it stands, those Old Era Remnants have acquired a lot of fragmented information about the Old Continent, and Sinless City itself is an ancient relic from 3,000 years ago.

So, could it be that those folks know something special about “Upper State Prison” that made Golden Oak take charge of its management?

If this assumption holds, the existence of this prison becomes enigmatic and perplexing.

Current intelligence indicates that other than Golden Oak insiders, no one knows the actual situation inside the prison.

It’s a place completely isolated from the outside world.

Moreover, due to the recent development of the Old Continent, Sinless City has also become lively, and the management of Upper State Prison has become even stricter.

Intelligence suggests that there may be a top-level card master garrisoned there.

Leonard Churchill had made extensive inquiries before, and even Abel in the Brotherhood never talked to anyone about his experience in Upper State Prison.

It seems likely that he signed some contract when he took the job, or there is some special reason.

Although it’s unclear where those information merchants got their intelligence, professionals in that field must have their own ways.

After some thought, Leonard Churchill felt the information was reliable.

Moreover, as Sister Bonny just mentioned, some forces, like “X Bureau,” are also inquiring about the status of that prison now.

This makes it all the more intriguing.

Having obtained this information, Leonard Churchill confirmed his desire to make a personal visit as soon as possible.

…

Leonard Churchill left the tavern and immediately noticed that someone was tailing him.

But this was all too common in Sinless City.

It might be a gang motivated by greed, an informant for an information merchant, or perhaps a professional thief…

Leonard Churchill didn’t care in the slightest.

He changed his attire and easily evaded those trying to track him.

Now with a clear objective, he wanted to go inside the prison.

Infiltration wasn’t really an option.

Since the place was controlled by the Orlan Remnants, he’d consider the danger at its maximum level.

Intelligence indicates the presence of a suspected top-tier card master guarding the prison.

So, it’s safe to scrap the “suspected” part; there must be an expert.

Infiltrating rashly posed a great risk.

And the saying about Upper State Prison, “easy to get in, impossible to get out,” also signaled extreme danger.

According to the intelligence, no prisoner has ever come out of the prison to date.

Leonard Churchill speculated that it’s either a death jail or there’s something dangerous in the cells preventing prisoners from leaving alive.

Either possibility warranted cautious consideration.

Although he was now third tier, he wasn’t so arrogant as to believe he could definitely handle this kind of completely unknown danger.

But this kind of “unknown danger” also ignited a strong desire to explore within Leonard Churchill.

He had two strategies in mind now.

The “mysterious individual” related to the Gluttony Breathing Technique might either be a prisoner inside or one of the Golden Oak’s guards.

Leonard Churchill leaned toward the former.

But he decided to start with the Golden Oak Corporation anyway.

For instance, he could disguise himself as a porter first to see what the situation was like inside.

After all, Abel was once a porter in Upper State Prison.

That position might give him access to the target individual.