Although Zayne had no idea what kind of key the tall, thin man was talking about, he knew one thing very clearly. Whatever it was, it was now his only lifeline.
Sure enough, when the tall man heard his words, his eyes narrowed. He had originally come with a kill first ask questions later mindset, but now it seemed he had actually gambled right.
"So the key really is with you. Fine. Say it. What do you want before you hand it over?"
"Get me out of the Investigation Bureau first."
Zayne had originally planned to stay inside the Investigation Bureau until the college entrance trial began, but now it was clear that this place was the real dragon's den and tiger's lair.
He never would have imagined that the deputy director of the Investigation Bureau would have ties to Dano.
"Are you sure?" the tall man asked coldly. "If you leave the Investigation Bureau now, you'll become a wanted criminal. You will not even be able to participate in the college entrance trial."
Zayne pressed his lips together. It truly felt like a dead end, with no way out at all.
From his perception, the man in front of him felt even more dangerous than Dano.
Fight or flee, neither was possible.
"Then can I contact someone?"
Pushed into a corner, Zayne thought of a single person. If it was that man, maybe there was still a chance. This was his last resort.
"You can. One minute," the tall man replied calmly.
He never believed that Dano had been killed by a single high school student acting alone. There had to be a massive, hidden force behind Zayne.
In the tall man's eyes, this was Zayne reaching out to that mysterious force.
Perfect. That way, he could follow the trail and uncover some of their secrets.
A sharp glint flashed in the tall man's eyes as Zayne dialed a number.
On the other end of the line, Astrachior smiled when he saw the incoming call. He pushed his glasses up and chuckled softly.
"Finally. I've been waiting for this."
Astrachior answered.
Moments later, inside the detention block of the Old Shipyard Port Investigation Bureau, a man in a long coat with a refined, scholarly aura appeared.
The instant the tall man saw him, he froze in place.
"You are… Astrachior."
His mind shook violently, shock written all over his face.
He never would have thought that Zayne could summon Astrachior. Did that mean the mysterious force behind Zayne was connected to Astrachior as well?
"Will you leave on your own," Astrachior said calmly as he adjusted his glasses, "or do you want me to do it for you?"
The tone was mild, yet carried an unquestionable dominance.
"Astrachior… you…" The tall man's breathing grew rapid. He stared at Astrachior before gritting his teeth. "Everyone says Astrachior has no interest in power, which is why you secluded yourself in Old Shipyard Port. But now it seems your ambitions are not small at all."
If Astrachior was backing this, then the overnight destruction of the underground market along with Dano suddenly made perfect sense.
"Ambition is too strong a word," Astrachior said calmly. "I am merely making a living."
He suddenly took a simple, ancient key from his chest. It radiated a strange fluctuation.
"Here. This is what you wanted."
The tall man froze.
Seeing the key he had been searching for in Astrachior's hand only reinforced his conclusion.
Zayne's backer was Astrachior.
Because this key should have been in Dano's possession.
That only deepened his confusion. If Astrachior did not want the key, why kill Dano at all?
As if reading his thoughts, Astrachior smiled faintly and adjusted his glasses.
"Dano died because he offended someone he should not have offended. One matter is one matter. You wanted the key. I wanted his life. Perfectly reasonable."
The tall man's heart shook. He glanced at Zayne, then back at Astrachior.
"I understand. Dano brought this upon himself. I will report this and close the case."
With the key secured, there was no need to offend a figure like Astrachior. No matter how impressive Dano's title as underground king sounded, to true powerhouses, he had only been a convenient chess piece.
The tall man flashed and vanished from the detention block.
Only then did Zayne let out a breath of relief. He bowed deeply to Astrachior.
"Thank you, Astrachior."
If he had any other choice, Zayne truly would not have wanted to ask this man for help. He always felt that Astrachior could see through every secret he carried.
Astrachior smiled and said nothing. He walked over to Double J's body and kicked it lightly.
"Stop pretending."
Double J instantly sprang to his feet, grinning.
"Astrachior, your foresight is terrifying. I couldn't even fool you by playing dead."
Zayne was stunned. He had seen Double J get stabbed straight through the heart. And yet he was alive.
Double J knew Astrachior. The key the tall man wanted had supposedly been with Dano, yet somehow ended up in Astrachior's hands.
Zayne had a growing feeling that he had been swept into something far bigger than he imagined.
"You've been locked up here for two years. Done reflecting?" Astrachior asked.
"I'm done, Astrachior. I, Double J, now hate women the most. I get annoyed just seeing them. I swear," Double J said, raising three fingers.
"Then come with me," Astrachior replied with a nod.
"Got it."
Double J followed behind without hesitation.
Astrachior raised a hand and lightly sliced through the air. A crack appeared in space itself. He stepped through it with Zayne and Double J.
On the other side was a courtyard filled with towering ancient trees and swaying green bamboo, steeped in an old world elegance.
"Double J, wait outside. Do not let anyone come near," Astrachior instructed.
"Yes, Astrachior."
Double J vanished in an instant, his speed so fast it was as if he had disappeared into thin air.
Only Astrachior and Zayne remained in the courtyard.
"Zayne, it has been a while. Sit," Astrachior said casually as he took a seat by the stone table.
"Thank you, Astrachior. If not for your intervention, I would have been in real danger," Zayne said respectfully.
"Danger?" Astrachior replied meaningfully as he adjusted his gold rimmed glasses. "Yes. Very much so."
"After all, if the secret of your immortality were to be exposed, then not just the top experts of the Alliance, but even top tier powerhouses from overseas, would come after you."