Chapter 912
The Manor and the Assistant
Chapter 912 The Manor and the Assistant
Assistant Paul withdrew his gaze, his impeccable smile returning to his face.
He said respectfully, "I understand your eagerness; Sir, you have been waiting for your arrival."
Brolin had just smiled when he heard the other person say apologetically:
"But unfortunately, he has an important meeting tonight concerning the global energy landscape and simply cannot get away."
Brolin frowned and said, "Sir Stonefield isn't at the manor?"
“Yes,” said Assistant Paul. “The Sir specifically instructed me to make sure everyone is properly settled. Please rest well in your guest room tonight. The Sir will arrange a meeting as soon as he has free time.”
A hint of displeasure flashed in Brolin's eyes, but he didn't react.
He glanced at the silent puppet army behind him, then at the impeccably composed assistant in front of him, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.
"Okay... take us to the room."
He walked toward the station exit, and all the puppets immediately moved in unison, except for Illari, who was a beat slower and hurriedly followed.
Assistant Paul reached out to stop them: "I'm sorry, we may not have prepared suitable rooms for so many puppets. Could they rest at the station?"
He smiled and said, "I guarantee it's much more comfortable here than that rat hole."
Brolin squinted at him and waved.
Most of the puppets stopped moving and, as before, fell into a quiet slumber.
Only a few vampires and werewolf puppets followed Brolin, clearly not intending to separate.
Assistant Paul's smile remained unchanged, and he no longer insisted on keeping the puppets. He bowed slightly and gestured in the direction.
……
With the elevator's clear announcement, the silver-gray doors slid open silently, and a group of people finally emerged from underground onto the ground.
Bright natural light replaced the cold, white light from the ground, flooding into the field of vision.
Before me lay a lawn like a green velvet carpet, hedges forming symmetrical geometric shapes, and flower beds of all sizes surrounded by a riot of colorful flowers.
In the distance stands a massive mansion, its white marble facade gleaming in the sunlight. The enormous columns and intricate reliefs make it seem as if it has fallen from a painting.
Maids in matching long dresses walked lightly down the corridor, two gardeners were busy trimming shrubs, and bodyguards scattered around had sharp eyes that could practically keep an eye on every intersection.
Not to mention the surveillance cameras installed on walls or trees, which monitor every corner 24 hours a day to prevent unexpected "guests" from intruding.
"In addition, the manor is equipped with pressure-sensitive alarms and infrared sensors."
Assistant Paul, with a hint of barely perceptible arrogance and superiority on his face, laughed and said, "Even if those wizards you're worried about apparition or fly into the manor on broomsticks, they'll be riddled with holes the moment they show themselves."
Brolin paid no attention to the other man's boasting—he did indeed abandon his men and run away like a stray dog, a fact he did not deny.
But to him, escaping unscathed from the encirclement of the Magic Congress and maneuvering among several powerful forces was an honor, not a shameful thing.
Brolin's gaze swept over the meticulously tended rose bushes and landed on a banyan tree that looked very old.
Thousands of aerial roots hang down from the branches and trunks, then take root in the soil; the dark brown bark is cracked and crisscrossed with grooves, while the sounds of cicadas and birds can be heard hidden among the canopy.
Brolin frowned, then casually asked, "After that rainstorm, snails appeared in large numbers all over New York. Did the same thing happen at the manor?"
“They were there,” Assistant Paul pushed up his glasses and chuckled, “but they were all cleaned up by the next morning.” “Are you sure nothing was missed?” Brolin pressed.
I know what you're worried about.
Assistant Paul said, "Although the estate covers a large area, we also have unique search and screening methods."
"Rest assured, I can confirm that not a single snail has been missed. And... all the snails that have been found are normal living creatures, we can guarantee that as well."
Brolin breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good. Then the ants, bees, even beetles..."
Assistant Paul said, "Mr. Stonefield has always been committed to protecting the environment, and Mr. Brolin, this estate also allows all kinds of normal creatures to live in it."
Just as Brolin was about to say something, he heard the other person say, "Don't be nervous, look ahead."
On a road wide enough for three cars to drive side by side, a strangely shaped car, resembling a giant dragonfly, slowly drove by.
The dragonfly has a device at its tail that looks like an inverted thumbtack. It rotates slowly, as if it is launching something invisible into the air.
"Let's move away," Assistant Paul kindly suggested. "Otherwise, it might not be good for your friend and the puppet."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ilari grabbed the box and ran off into the distance.
A flash of anger crossed Brolin's face, and he growled in a low voice, "Iraqi?"
“I’m sorry, Chief,” Ilari said, looking distressed. “I felt uneasy the moment that car appeared…”
The puppets beside them suddenly started moving as well, retreating in unison to Ilari's side, their faces contorted in pain.
Brolin flew into a rage, grabbed his assistant Paul, and yelled, "What have you done?"
“Don’t worry, I mean no harm.” Assistant Paul quickly raised his hands and explained, “It’s just a security feature for wizard-specific vehicles, a standard feature in the base, you know.”
Brolin's expression changed slightly. He released his grip and whispered, "Is...is that one?"
"Yes."
Assistant Paul straightened his collar and said:
"It's a pity the power isn't high enough, otherwise it would be harmful to people nearby. But we've tested it repeatedly, and it can easily destroy some gadgets made by wizards."
Brolin's Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he asked, "The same goes for the puppet."
Assistant Paul glanced at the nearby puppets and earnestly corrected, "To be precise, it has a more obvious effect on smaller puppets."
The group walked along the white gravel path, and the main house gradually came into view in the distance. It was a magnificent building, its ivory-white exterior gleaming in the sunlight, and its symmetrically arranged arched windows like countless eyes scrutinizing the visitors.
When a gentle breeze blows, the ancient banyan leaves tremble, and suddenly they are blown open, revealing a beetle hidden behind the leaves.
In the distance, a robin is carefully repairing its nest on the top of an ash tree. Three small eggs lie quietly in the moss-woven nest.
……
A white dove gracefully flew over the city, circled halfway, then suddenly folded its wings and landed precisely on an outstretched arm.
As Wade stroked the smooth back feathers of the white dove, he withdrew his hand, revealing a hemispherical mirror between his fingers.
He said softly, "Good child, let me see... what have you seen?"
(End of this chapter)