Chapter 847
The Screams at the Banquet
Chapter 847 The Screams at the Banquet
Wade picked up his orange juice, took a small sip, and, using the rim of the glass as cover, replied in the same soft voice:
"It's rare to have all these key figures gathered together. How can we miss such a good opportunity to observe them?"
After a pause, he asked again, "Isn't it for the same reason that you organized this banquet?"
Moody: "..."
He inexplicably felt his face getting hot.
"we are not."
The old man said in a hard voice, "They arranged all of this. I didn't know there were so many people attending the banquet before I walked in!"
“…Oh.” Wade didn’t know what to say, so he just gave a casual reply.
Moody's words revealed a complex mix of emotions, including resentment, frustration, repression, and a sense of being forced to compromise, indicating that the Auror squad had gained nothing in recent days.
Wade was once again relieved that his decision not to stay at Hogwarts and wait for news was indeed the right one.
After a two-second silence, Moody asked, "Who is this guy you're impersonating? Won't his identity be exposed?"
“Oh, no,” Wade said. “This guy took his girlfriend on a trip to Europe and won’t be back for at least a week, nor will he contact anyone else.”
Moody fell silent again.
To transform into the appearance of a disguised target, all you need is a single hair... and those with exceptional shapeshifting skills don't even need a hair.
But could a disguised target who could cooperate with Vader's operations also be arranged by Dumbledore?
The old principal certainly had such extensive connections, but Moody always felt that something was amiss.
An Auror's intuition rang sharply in his mind.
The instant this thought flashed through his mind, Moody's rotating magic eyes suddenly froze; he noticed an extremely tiny source of magic—
On the trunk of an oak tree, a deep blue beetle is slowly crawling, its elytra reflecting a metallic sheen.
This is an extremely normal scene in the eyes of others, but when the magic eye scans it, the internal structure of the beetle's body is completely different from that of normal insects!
—The Puppet!
Moody suddenly realized.
—Is it that merchant? I think his name is something like Marchionni.
If I remember correctly, that man's businesses now span all over the world, and this rapid development is inseparable from the products provided by Wade.
If Vader were to borrow a convenient identity from that businessman, he could indeed get the other party to cooperate fully.
Moody put aside his earlier doubts and asked, "What clues have your little guys found?"
"Well..."
Wade smiled and said, "We'll have to wait a bit longer before we can draw a conclusion."
His gaze seemingly casually swept over Chairman Hawthorne, who was talking to Kingsley, and then over Lyra, who was mingling with the guests.
There's Aldridge Corbett enjoying his wine alone; Ezra Hughes having a pleasant conversation with Salina; and Reginald Perez looking somewhat dissatisfied with the food.
"You must have a target, right?" Moody asked stubbornly. "I can keep an eye on things for you too!"
“Then help me take a look at Leila Picqueli,” Wade said.
Moody's eyes sharpened instantly: "Lyra...Picelli..."
The demonic eye shifted to the woman in the distance. "Is she connected to the Purifiers?"
“It’s not certain yet,” Wade said softly. “So I’m looking for evidence… to confirm it.”
Leila Picqueli has a dark complexion, delicate features, and incredibly long legs and a tiny waist.
Tonight she wore a silver-gray robe, the flowing light like ripples on water, leaving fleeting streaks of light as she walked.
She chatted with an official from the International Department of Magical Cooperation, making him laugh heartily; a little while later, she was having a lively discussion about jewelry with a lady.
When an older wizard pulled her aside to chatter, Lyra subtly had another official join the conversation, and soon she slipped away herself.
She was like a master player who could play against multiple opponents at the same time. Every move was precise and flawless, every expression was carefully considered, and she had a smooth and composed demeanor, as if she was born to excel at these things.
But if... she encounters an unexpected and sudden event, can she still perform so flawlessly?
Wade lowered his head, took a sip of his drink, and glanced around.
The beetles crawling on the tree trunks were all in place, hiding in various places, watching every corner of the courtyard.
In places unseen by the naked eye, countless ants were divided into several lines. Some scurried along the shadows at the base of the wall, some climbed along the folds of the tablecloth, some burrowed into the gaps at the bottom of the door, and others stretched out in long lines along the outer wall.
Vader also knew that in a building less than three kilometers from this courtyard, Victor was watching all the guests attending the party through the goggles carried by the beetles.
Vilan was in charge of directing the tiny ants, who would pass through tightly closed doors, climb over tall bookshelves and neatly arranged documents, searching for any unspeakable secrets.
……
Halfway through the banquet, the atmosphere had reached its climax. The band played a lively waltz, skirts swayed in the dance floor, crystal glasses clinked crisply, and even the usually serious officials wore relaxed smiles, appearing to be enjoying themselves immensely.
Just then, a terrified scream suddenly rang out:
"Ah ah ah ah ah--"
The sound was extremely sharp, instantly drowning out all other sounds and abruptly piercing everyone's eardrums.
The musician's bow hung on the strings, the dancer who was spinning froze in place, and the wine glasses trembled, reflecting countless astonished faces.
A lady's fan fell to the ground with a "thud," the soft sound of the fan ribs breaking being particularly clear in the deathly silence.
All eyes turned to the source of the sound—the heavy red curtain separating the balcony.
“Grimm, go and see what’s going on,” Chairman Hawthorne said calmly.
"Yes."
The tall, muscular man put down his wine glass, raised his wand, and walked quickly but cautiously toward the curtain, while Salina and the other Aurors surrounded him from all sides.
Just then, the curtain was suddenly pulled back, and a young woman staggered out, her face deathly pale.
She stared wide-eyed at Chairman Hawthorne on the platform, opened her mouth as if to say something, but like a fish out of water, she could only let out a few broken, incoherent breaths.
People were puzzled, exchanging surprised and doubtful glances, and then casting suspicious looks at the fluttering curtain.
What could frighten a wizard like this? Is there a Boggart hiding in the manor? Or did she witness a brutal murder?
In the instant their eyes met, it seemed as if they had already discussed a thousand words.
At this point, the woman finally came to her senses and screamed in a hoarse, tearful voice:
"Chairman! Chairman Hawthorne! Something...something terrible has happened!"
(End of this chapter)