The Righteous Player(s)

Chapter 356: Counter Checkmate

Chapter 356: Counter Checkmate

I see. Annan glanced at the smiling and kind old man thoughtfully.

Long before Delicious Wind Goose came to the capital city, Nolan knew where and who he came from.

“As expected of the legendary Three-eyed Crow.” Annan sincerely praised, “I don’t even know where the ‘eyes’ are hidden.”

They must have seen Delicious Wind Goose talking to Annan at Freezing Water Port or Roseburg. When Delicious Wind Goose entered the city with the help of the caravan, he was also under the surveillance of a Three-eyed Crow.

Any graffiti with an eye pattern might be a surveillance camera set up by the Noah Kingdom’s secret intelligence agency “One-Eyed Crow”.

It was even possible for the Three-eyed Crows to use ordinary paints without curse properties to cover up the graffiti and turn it into another pattern as a disguise.

The eye pattern would still function if the strokes were not cut off or covered.

Conversely, the surveillance would cease to function once the pattern was severed.

In other words, the eyes were “a surveillance system that failed as soon as it was discovered”.

But even so, Annan still didn’t realize where Delicious Wind Goose was exposed.

What an advanced approach.

The “One-Eyed Crow” deeply understood the truth. As long as the spy was not in contact with the target from beginning to end, the spy would never be exposed.

They only need to draw patterns on the hem of the clothes of passers-by, the corners of unnoticed walls, or even the leaves of a certain tree, and they could continuously monitor an area. These tasks could be arranged “before the target had reached the place”.

This was equivalent to a spy camera with indefinite use.

The first person to create this kind of intelligence system was truly a genius.

In the face of Annan’s comments, neither Nolan nor Eugene relaxed.

They even respected Annan’s tone even more.

“As a fourteen-year-old Silver Rank Transcended who has never gone through intelligence study, the little crow in charge of installing the ‘eyes’ has to be punished if you manage to seek those ‘eyes’ out.”The old man replied gently.

Hearing this, Annan was surprised.

He finally knew why the Geraint family was so polite to him.

Although he was the son of the Grand Duke, he was not a Noah civilian after all.

What the Crows cared about was his rank advancement speed.

They were probably the only ones who knew that it took Annan only over a month since he ever set foot on the transcendent path to reach Silver Rank; they were also the very few who knew that he held the Book of Divine Transporter.

For them, Annan wasn’t just “the heir of the Austere-Winter Dukedom”, but “the future subordinate deity of the Old Grandmother”.

At the same time…

“I’m afraid part of the reason is because of this outfit.” Annan chuckled.

He raised his sleeves and wiped his eyes.

When Annan raised his eyes again, there was a silver spider web pattern looming at the bottom of his pupils.

He was wearing the [Silver Sire’s Favourite].

The silver robe, like a silk nightgown, was soft in texture.

The texture of the other clothing in this era was not enough to satisfy Annan.

However, this robe from Silver Sire was comfortable.

The robe was befitting of any weather, no matter walking against the cold winter wind or as pajamas with an extra layer of quilt on the bed.

After Annan acquired the skill of self-cleaning, he never took off the robe.

The robe was apparently of little use in Roseburg.

However, any bishop of the deities could recognize the origin of this suit in the royal capital.

Given by Silver Sire himself, it was the proof of an upright deity’s adoration just like its name, “Silver Sire’s Favourite”.

Unexpectedly, the Crow family recognized this robe.

“Yup, you’re right.” Nolan nodded gently, “That’s because I’m actually a cardinal of a certain deity. I already knew that Silver Sire adores you. It will be smooth sailing on your path to becoming a deity.

“So, there’s no need for you to hide Her Royal Highness Princess Kafni in Roseburg.”

“…” Annan was silent for a moment.

Nolan was right.

Previously, the Geraint family said that “two people would be allowed to enter the capital together”. At first, Annan thought that this was a place reserved for his guard, and he also planned to let Dove and Chocolate go with him.

But Kafni came after him.

Only then did Annan realize that “the two people” in Geraint’s message were referring to himself and Kafni.

In other words, the two of them were summoned to the capital without any guards.

Annan subconsciously grew more vigilant upon the realization.

Although this was Eugene’s message to Annan in the letter, he would tell Kafni about it directly if she were to ask.

It was not a secret after all.

The Crow was only subordinate to the crow. The new king was not yet on the throne, which meant that anyone could be the new king. They would not be biased toward any party and thus unwilling to offend any party.

So for Kafni, no matter what she asked Eugene, she would get a reply from him. Even if he couldn’t say it, he would directly tell Kafni that “this matter couldn’t be said”.

Annan was a little wary.

The Crow family was friendly to him at this moment.

Don Juan and Benjamin were friends with him too. He was also favored by the Silver Sire, recognized as one of the few direct descendants of the Old Grandmother, helped the Venerated Skeleton further His truth, and did the Man in the Mirror a favor.

At the same time, the Pale Princess and the Tragedy Writer paid close attention to him.

However, Annan still retained appropriate caution toward the Crow family.

After all, he didn’t know the attitude of the crow family.

He couldn’t let Kafni take risks either.

He had the Silver Sire’s and the Paper Princess’s protection, but not Kafni.

Silver Sire didn’t even care about her grandfather’s life, let alone a little girl like her who had no says among the deities.

At the same time, Annan wasn’t just worried about the safety of Kafni.

If there were witnesses of Kafni Noah visiting Roseburg and then the Crows’ mansion, it would implicate Kafni and even the political arrangements of the Crow family.

Hence, Annan asked Kafni not to go to the capital for the time being. Even Dove and Chocolate were forced to stay in Roseburg for a while.

After all, Annan couldn’t refuse Kafni but invited another woman with a body and appearance similar to Kafni with him who had a worse status and strength than she at the same time.

—Although that lady’s soul was actually a cat.

After giving it a quick thought, Annan decided how he should reply, “I can’t bring her here for now.”

Annan said calmly, “I can’t let Kafni take risks. Her mother is the Rotten Man’s believer. A Gold Rank Soul Snatch Wizard specializes in memory reading and modification.

“I cherish the memory of being with her, so I won’t put her life at risk.

“I will only invite her over after eliminating the unfavorable factors.” It was an upright answer.

Hearing this, Old Crow narrowed his eyes slightly. “Removing the unfavorable factors? So, do you mean…”

“I will wait until Silver Sire’s plan to eliminate all Rotten Man believers in the territory is completed.” Annan smiled slightly and asked back, “Don’t you already know about it?”