Chapter 770
Zhangsheng Alley
Chapter 770 Echo Alley
The chestnut-haired man leaned forward, getting closer, and said, "Actually, I recently received some news..."
As if afraid of being overheard, he lowered his voice even further and said with a burning gaze:
"The remnants of the Purge seem to have caught wind of this... The competition is a mixed bag, and they might create even more chaos... and chaos... is our opportunity."
"Chaos is a tool, not an end."
The other person's voice was devoid of any extra emotion as they said, "What I want is a result, a definite result that will bring about a breakthrough. Prometheus's patience is not infinite, and neither is mine..."
“Of course, Sir.” The chestnut-haired man leaned forward and said, “I will bring the fire back, and my ‘partner’ will certainly provide sufficient persuasion.”
“I hope everything goes well.” Another person sighed, “Time is the only luxury for us, and we are overdrawing it by a lot… Don’t let me down, my friend.”
"Of course, when has our cooperation ever let you down?" the chestnut-haired man said confidently.
At that moment, the lights in the dance floor outside began to shine, and one of the beams of light pierced through the long, one-way glass panel on the door, briefly illuminating another person in the private room.
The man looked to be at least eighty years old, with thick, white, and messy eyebrows, below which were a pair of unforgettable eyes.
He wore a silk turtleneck shirt, and a thick, soft wool blanket covered his legs. His hands, resting on the armrests, resembled ancient tree roots, with clear spots and veins visible on his skin.
The light flashed and disappeared in an instant, and the room returned to darkness and silence. The flickering candlelight seemed to form an invisible domain around the old man, giving him a heavy sense of oppression.
……
Over the next few days, the three of them did not try to test the endurance of American Aurors. Instead, they strolled through the streets of Manhattan like true tourists, familiarizing themselves with the New York environment, shopping, taking photos, and tasting exotic cuisine.
Despite the annoyance of having several Aurors always around, Vader simply saw them as a few dutiful bodyguards and guides.
The rest of the staff changed frequently, but whenever the three of them went out, Salina always accompanied them.
Rather than letting three foreign wizards wander the streets, Salina preferred to keep them in wizarding territory to avoid them accidentally causing any leaks.
So, just two days later, Salina offered to take them to visit "America's Diagon Alley"—
Echo Alley.
This place is hidden behind a fire escape on the side of an old building. Step through the narrow iron gate and through a long stone corridor, and you will be greeted by noise and wonder.
This is a vertical canyon that blends Gothic architecture, Art Deco, and modern neon lights. The towering towers on both sides are flashing dazzling lights, and various Thunderbird models with tails made of golden light spots fly around in the air.
The shop signs on both sides of the street were not static. Wade saw a huge saxophone, as tall as two people, standing outside a shop, playing on its own; while on the shop next to it, a huge hat was slowly rotating; outside the fortune-telling shop, neon lights of various colors flashed to form different fortune-telling symbols.
The Ilvermony School Supplies store sells school robes and textbooks for the four houses, as well as wands for students, both new and inexpensive secondhand wands.
"The core of the staff is mostly made of thunderbird tail feathers, antler rabbit horns, and dragon heartstrings. Of course, other materials are also used."
The shop assistant could tell at a glance that the three were newcomers and enthusiastically introduced the product: "You three must be from England? Then I recommend that you try this wand made of elf hair. It has a history of five hundred years and has been waiting for its destined owner..." "Something that hasn't been sold for five hundred years, you should keep it for yourself."
Moody said irritably, his gaze falling on the other wands made of more ordinary materials.
"Even secondhand wands need to be registered after purchase," Salina dutifully poured cold water on their buying desires.
At this moment, Vader curiously picked up the "five-hundred-year-old" wand. As soon as he touched it to his fingertips, he felt a strange current of energy circling around him, making him feel refreshed. The tip of the wand also shone with a faint light.
Upon seeing this, the shop assistant immediately leaped over like a rocket, her voice rising an octave:
"Excuse my bluntness, sir, do you often feel that your magical talent is different from that of ordinary people? Does the wand you currently possess prevent you from unleashing your full power? That's because you've been waiting for such a wand!"
"Look at this light! I can almost feel the wand breathing in your hand! This is a fateful encounter, and now I finally believe it... I've worked here for five years, and this kid has never resonated with anyone before!"
"Shall I wrap it up for you? Forgive my bluntness—from now on, all other wands will pale in comparison in your hands!"
Vader stared intently at the wand in his hand, then looked up at the others.
Lu Ping looked at him with a smile, showing no sign of objection; Moody also just looked on, while Salina glared at the shop assistant with hostility, and no one spoke.
Wade gently placed the wand back in the box and said with a smile, "A stimulant spell, a miniature whirlwind spell, and a glow-in-the-dark spell? The spells on it don't look like they're 500 years old; they seem like they were made just last week."
Lupin couldn't help but laugh, Moody snorted smugly, and Salina pressed her temples helplessly, muttering, "I knew it..."
"So you're an expert..."
The shop assistant chuckled, not feeling embarrassed at all, but rather quite surprised that this young boy could see through the mystery.
He looked again, and his eyes widened in surprise: "Aren't you...aren't you that person in the Mirror of Flow...that person fighting with magical animals?"
He wanted to say Wade's name, but couldn't remember it for a moment.
“Wrap it up for me,” Wade said, pointing to the wand. “How much?”
Moody couldn't help but say, "It's just a toy, what's the point of buying it?"
"The way to use the glowing spell on it is quite interesting. I'll buy it and study it." Wade smiled at the shop assistant. "I think it should have a reasonable price?"
"Of course, of course..." The clerk, with a thick skin, packed the food and then held out his hand: "Three Galleons, thank you for your patronage."
“Too expensive,” Moody muttered.
Vader bought it, put away the wand, and the shop assistant resumed his sales pitch with renewed enthusiasm:
"How about a few commemorative badges from the four major academies? They're all designed by master designers..."
The group ignored his spiel and left the shop together. Salina said, "I recommend you go to Big Pot Coffee Shop; their Cloud Donuts and Big Pot Love Coffee are really good..."
(End of this chapter)