Dual Cultivation: Beasts and Women!

Chapter 136: Next Steps

Their passage through the checkpoint was quick. The Officers didn't care what they had done in the forest, who they were, or who their rivals were. Standing by to do their jobs, the Officers released the two, who rushed up the 100th step, toward Street One.

Minutes into City Thirteen, Liam and Mary spotted the Records Hall.

"Let's return the exit permits and go back to our rooms." He looked at her and recommended what to do. "Get some rest before you attend to your duties. The remnants of Emerald Owls will know what we've done."

After that night of action, Emerald Owls had lost a lot of power and were smaller than before. But the faction still had its powerful leader and weak members who, though they couldn't challenge Liam, could plot against them from behind the curtains.

'I'm going to get ready to go head to head with Enos. He'll probably show himself the first time I go back to the arena.' Liam sighed as he considered the possibility. 'I hope Ester has something. I'll find her later and check on her progress.'

Liam and Mary settled their duties as they passed the Records Hall and then made their way together to Street Thirty-Seven, where they split up to go to their respective dormitories.

...

Later, Ester did not know what her allies had been up to in the last few hours when she knocked on the door of a room in the Senior Initiates' dormitory.

Her serious expression, marked by the tension in her heart whenever she interacted with the person on the other side of the door, faded as she heard the rattle of keys.

Hudson, a 9-Star Spirit Lord with short brown hair, opened the door to his room and faced his favorite face in the world. "Ester." He waved a hand and pulled her into his embrace.

He and this woman had only just met recently, but he already felt close to her. After 'everything' they had done, he trusted her much more and felt more connected and responsible to protect and help her.

After shutting the door to his room and embracing Ester, he inquired with a playful grin, "Would you like to meet up later? Perhaps recreate what we did that night?"

She looked away from him. "I don't know." Her cheeks blushed deliberately. "I have something to do that might get in the way," she said quietly.

"What?" His expression changed, visibly irritated.

"I took on a mission to get some merit points... I have to investigate this new disciple in the sect... Hmm, Liam Porter, something like that." She sat down on the bed and looked at the floor as if she wanted nothing. "I have to work."

She pretended not to notice the sudden change in Hudson's expression when she got what she wanted.

"Liam Porter?" Hudson smiled at her question.

"Do you know him?" She asked after nodding in the affirmative.

"Actually, he's in some trouble with my faction." He sat down beside her. "I don't know him personally, but he stepped into a place he shouldn't have. He'll be dead soon."

"Dead? Why?" She feigned surprise.

He laughed, liking the look on Ester's face when she didn't know something. "He killed Boss Smile's brother, or at least he's suspected of causing Levi's death. Now the boss is going to go after this Liam guy and eliminate him. Eleanor will act with my boss."

"Eleanor? I thought Senior Myles Smile had problems with Eleanor." Ester invested in the topic.

Hudson grinned. "There are no eternal enemies in this world. Liam Porter irritated both of them enough to get her to ask for an alliance with my boss. Now the whole faction is hopeful about the future consequences of this union."

'They are clearly confident that they can take this further than a mission against Liam.' Ester brought one of her hands up to her face.

"Then maybe I won't have to worry about him for long." She looked at Hudson with a questioning expression.

"Of course. There's no way that brat can get away from the boss!" Hudson said and nodded his head in agreement.

"Unfortunately, this is going to take a while, isn't it?" Her expression changed as she sighed in defeat. "I can't give up my mission unless something happens to him soon. But this Liam will probably hide in the city and live for a few weeks until you take care of him."

"I'm not so sure. Soon the Silver-Winged Leopard will come out of hibernation and it will be time for the leopards to hunt him. Liam Porter is expected to join the hunt and this will be the boss' chance to take his revenge."

Her eyes fluttered, finally getting some good information from this man.

Ester was tempted to see Liam's downfall before committing herself further, but her agreement with him prevented her from acting against his interests.

'In that case, I need to use this man a little more and get more information.'

Without letting Hudson feel the cut on one of her fingers, Ester mixed her blood, mana, and a secret powder behind her back before leaning down on him as if to kiss him.

Hudson liked Ester's attitude and welcomed her into his arms with a smile on his face.

As soon as she moved in to kiss him, she used the magic mixture on one of her fingers to run it along Hudson's carotid artery.

The man almost immediately rolled his eyes and went into a trance, where his wild sexual instincts took over his mind amid an extremely realistic illusion.

Ester got off him and sat down on a sofa, watching the ridiculous man move around as if he were in the bed with her. An expression of disgust marked Ester's face, but unfortunately, she had to wait.

Meanwhile, her eyes glittered coldly, her hands clenched tightly. 'I can't wait for the day when I can kill you!'

...

Later, Ester escaped from Hudson after the effects of the magic mixture wore off and the man separated from her, even more interested in their relationship.

Making her way to Missions Hall, Ester soon secured one of the private negotiation rooms in the area, where she would wait for just 12 minutes until Liam joined her.

"I hear you've been having some problems lately..." She looked at him with narrowed eyes, curious. "Something to do with Emerald Owls, is that right?"

He looked at her, not surprised that she knew. "Hudson told you that?" He asked with a smile. "Looks like you two are getting along," he added after seeing her nod.

"The magic powder you gave me that day is fantastic. I've used it twice, but Hudson has already told me some useful things."

"Like what?" he asked as he settled into his seat, looking at her more seriously now.

"Have you heard of the Silver-Winged Leopard?" she answered him with a question.

"Yes... They intend to act during the hunt? But that will take time, won't it?"

"Hudson doesn't think so. He said the Silver-Winged Leopard could come out of hibernation at any moment. Maybe your faction plan to wait longer, but some groups in the city will also hunt this beast, and others want to prevent the Leopards' leader from getting this beast as his third Spirit.

Someone should provoke the beast to come out of hibernation early to speed up their plans and increase the chances of success for other groups, rival groups to yours."

Liam was silent for a moment when he heard this. This was very serious!

"Do you have anything else? No chance of them acting against me first?"

She shook her head negatively. "I can't say. This is all I have so far.

But if you want my opinion, it's unlikely that they or any of your enemies will move now. It's the beginning of the month, and this week we'll have at least 6 fights between the top 20 ranked disciples.

Many important disciples of the sect are hunting in the forest, and if what I've told you is true, the two faction leaders who are your enemies must be busy planning their next moves.

They want to eliminate you, but if they can eliminate Robert together, they'll do it and solve a current problem and a future problem concurrently."

She looked at him in silence for a moment, watching him think. Returning to the subject of Emerald Olws, she recommended. "Watch out for Enos. He'll try to hunt you down as soon as he finds out you're back. He has a fight with Myles in the arena, so he may leave it until after their fight. But be prepared."

"Thanks for the information. I'll get ready."