Chapter Fifty-Four: Twin Sisters

The wild wind whipped the waves against the breakwater of Dunkirk Harbor. In the distance, a towering iceberg, nearly a hundred meters high, was driven by the gale, surging with the waves toward the breakwater. But on the breakwater, figures flickered; two massive fireballs roared forth, exploding against the iceberg, making it shudder amid the waves. Huge chunks of ice were blasted into the air, falling harmlessly into the sea.

Two stray dogs with long, matted fur dashed along the roadside, pressed tight against the wall, their green eyes scanning the night for anything to fill their bellies. A row of pitch-black stray cats sat in neat formation on the dock, cocking their heads as they watched a fishing boat still aglow with lanterns. Soon, a burly fisherman emerged from the boat, grumbling as he dumped a large basin of fish entrails onto the dock.

The stray cats slipped silently forward, devouring the offal in greedy mouthfuls. The fisherman glanced at them, shook his head firmly, and returned to his cabin, carrying the wooden basin.

Four midnight-black steeds, like spirits of the night, pulled a silent four-wheeled carriage along the street by the dock. Beneath their glossy coats, peculiar iron-blue markings glimmered—a sign of their lineage, the hybrid offspring of the magical ‘Azure Cloud Beast’ and purebred horses. In both strength and speed, they far surpassed their purebred kin.

These magical hybrids were worth a king’s ransom; only nobles and officials could hope to command such ‘Black Steeds,’ and even acquiring them was beyond the reach of most.

The driver was a burly man clad in a black bearskin coat, his face as sharp as if carved by knife and axe, devoid of any expression. His eyes, cold and reptilian, radiated a chilling aura that discouraged approach. His hands, thick-jointed and unusually prominent, were covered in calluses, veins bulging darkly beneath bluish skin—evidence of a unique combat skill honed through relentless training.

Inside the carriage, two girls sat shoulder to shoulder on a velvet couch, each in crimson gowns, silently reciting from thick tomes of scripture—the ‘Precepts of Retribution’ of the ‘God of Flame and Punishment.’ Their reading pace was identical, their page-turning synchronized; though two, they moved as one. These were the twin sisters, Ya and Ling, dispatched by Elham to probe into Lin Qi’s background.

As their lips moved in silent recitation, a flicker of flame danced between their brows, and a suffocating heat filled the spacious carriage. Yet this pressure, enough to pulverize ordinary folk, was expertly contained within the carriage, not a trace escaping.

Gradually, a faint glow of fire enveloped them both, their flames intertwining and merging. The crimson fire, as it fused, began to take on a sacred, platinum sheen. Just as their aura neared its peak, the carriage halted, and the driver muttered, “Ladies, the Golden Rose is at the end of this alley.”

Ya and Ling absorbed the firelight back into their bodies, closing their scriptures in perfect unison. With a gentle swipe, the heavy tomes vanished without a trace. Exchanging a glance, the twins opened the carriage door and stepped out with the dignified grace befitting daughters of a noble house.

Trailing behind their carriage, another vehicle stopped. From it, a young man bedecked in jewels, rotund as a ball of flesh, struggled out. Though he barely reached the twins’ shoulders in height, his weight was several times their combined mass. Panting, he hurried to their side and bowed obsequiously, “Esteemed Lady Aiya, Lady Ailing, this is the famed Golden Rose of Dunkirk.”

He drew a deep breath, savoring the lingering fragrance from the twins, then bent low with effort. “Please, believe me, I, Lafontaine, am the most honest broker in all Dunkirk. Inside the Golden Rose, you’ll find every delight imaginable.”

Ya and Ling cast a cold glance at the porcine Lafontaine and nodded slightly.

Lafontaine bowed repeatedly, wiping sweat from his brow, and led the twins into the alley, wheezing with each step.

With Lafontaine, renowned for his connections among Dunkirk’s agents, as their guide, Ya and Ling entered the Golden Rose lounge with ease. After consulting the doorman about Jin and the other guests’ whereabouts, Lafontaine confidently escorted the twins to the beast arena.

Lin Qi was loudly demanding that Jin lend him hundreds of thousands of gold coins. With his own hundred thousand, he’d have enough capital to wager boldly with the young nobles.

But Jin’s face remained uncertain. Lin Qi’s reputation among Dunkirk’s playboys was notorious—he was famous for making deals without any capital. Though he had, for once, offered a substantial sum, who could say if Jin lent him the money, whether Lin Qi would pay up if he lost?

Jin was certain Blackbeard, Lin Qi’s father, could easily cover the loan, but the problem was Lin Qi himself—would this rogue honor his debts?

“Hey, Jin, we’re old friends!” Lin Qi drawled, a cigar dangling from his lips, hands shoved in his pockets. “We’re old pals. Sure, I may have beaten you up a few times years ago over a misunderstanding, but we’re still friends, right? Surely a few hundred thousand gold coins isn’t too much to lend? I’ll pay you three extra points of interest. I’m sure I’ll win—you don’t believe me?”

Jin hesitated, glancing at the green-striped, golden-eyed python and the ice-armored white bear in the cage. The python was cold-blooded, while the bear wielded the power of ice and snow—its natural nemesis. If these magical beasts fought, the outcome was hard to predict.

He could borrow from any of the other young nobles and ladies without hesitation, but Lin Qi made him uneasy.

At that moment, Lafontaine entered the arena with Ya and Ling. “Jin, I’ve brought you two distinguished guests—Lady Aiya and Lady Ailing. They’re core members of the top aristocratic houses of the Vias Commercial Federation, just passing through Dunkirk!”

Ya and Ling, blooming like night flowers, drew every male gaze in the room. Angel, Dunkirk’s famed beauty, frowned in irritation; the twins’ beauty was an ethereal gift, making Angel seem like a glass bead beside a diamond—not even in the same league.

Jin smiled with delight, about to welcome these noble guests, when Ya and Ling simultaneously asked, “What are you doing? It looks rather interesting!”

Their eyes fell upon the towering pile of wagers.