"Is there really such a good strategy?"
Amidst the meowing, Fat Orange looked at Marvin in surprise, "If we can earn the believers' favor without exposing Yuniya, that would be great!"
"Of course, there is, but before that...."
Marvin left them in suspense, "I need to find some small glass bottles."
A cat can't carry much, so the amount of Holy Water each Kitty can carry is limited, and the bottles must not be too big.
Nearly a thousand Kitties would need at least a thousand glass bottles—who would have so many glass bottles at home?
Marvin definitely didn't, however....
He had a friend.
"You're going to find Grey Wolf Dino? The biggest merchandise trader in New Ross City?"
Fat Orange, who often roamed the streets and alleys, was obviously aware of Marvin's 'friend'—after all, New Ross City wasn't that big, with only a few markets in total.
"That's him, Dino Bruto, nicknamed Grey Wolf."
Marvin nodded, "Aside from the flesh trade, he deals in pretty much everything. Relying on the geographical advantage of New Ross, he shuttles between Windsor The Kingdom and the eastern Romanov Kingdom, thriving over the years. He can get you anything new and interesting, and even the Nobility often seek him out to buy things."
"If it's him, then there should be no problem," Fat Orange said. "Three years ago, when his business failed and he was impoverished with no place to go, it was you who helped him out and even lent him some capital. At the time, I couldn't understand why you would do that, but now it seems... I was shortsighted."
Marvin smiled, "That's because I saw ambition in his eyes back then, the same ambition you have now. Such people will not be brought down by failure. Either they succeed or they are on the road to success."
"I won't be happy even if you praise me."
"I wasn't praising you."
"Oh." Fat Orange said with a straight face, "What are you still sitting here for? We're pressed for time, get moving!"
"..."
Marvin stood up, ready to look for Dino Bruto. Yuniya immediately dropped Little Black and rushed over with a teddy bear arm in hand, "Daddy, Yuniya will go with you!"
"Okay."
As a well-known merchandise trader, Dino Bruto's living situation had changed from the past. He resided on Ross Avenue, stepping out onto the road paved with bluestone bricks, and the streets were clean and tidy, with police patrolling everywhere.
Following the address, Marvin led Yuniya through the alley by the side of the church, avoiding the noisy crowd on the street, and arrived at the rich district at the rear.
A police blockade barred their way.
"This area is off-limits."
A policeman wearing a black leather hat, dressed in a green tailcoat, leather shoes, and gaiters stepped forward to intercept Marvin. He glanced at Yuniya by his side and said, "However, if you can provide proof of residency or an invitation, you may pass."
Marvin had come to the very end of Ross Avenue, hoping that the security would be a bit more relaxed here; he hadn't expected that there would still be police on guard.
"I'm here to see Mr. Dino, who lives just across the street."
"As I said, without an invitation..."
"Father Marvin!"
Just as the black-hatted policeman was about to refuse Marvin's request, a hearty laugh suddenly rang out from behind, and everyone turned to see a middle-aged man with his hair slicked back and a goatee, wearing a wolfskin jacket, opening his arms wide and striding over, "You've come at the right time, I was just about to look for you!"
Upon reaching the blockade, he gave his Butler a knowing glance. The Butler, wearing white gloves and understanding the hint, immediately took out several Ross Gold Coins and handed them to the leading police officer.
"No one has come here tonight," the Butler said.
Feeling the weighty Gold Coins, the policeman lowered the brim of his hat and turned his head away.
"Come with me, quickly."
The middle-aged man with a goatee grabbed Marvin's arm and, without a second word, headed for the mansion, "Big trouble in the city, I've already prepared the carriage, Father, you and my wife and the others must leave the city immediately!"
"Aren't you leaving?" Marvin asked.
"Of course, I'm not leaving."
The middle-aged man smiled slightly, his meticulously trimmed beard lifting with the corners of his mouth, "Opportunity and danger often coexist. Staying here could lead to greater profit, don't forget, I'm a merchant."
"Actually, I came to you for a favor."
Marvin had no mood for small talk and said bluntly, "I need 1,000 glass bottles the size of a finger, with no markings and untraceable origins."
The middle-aged man stopped in his tracks, casting a surprised glance, "Father, you're not leaving either?"
"I cannot abandon my flock and flee danger alone when disaster is upon us."
"Turns out we're really not alike... 1,000 untraceable glass bottles, right? Easy!"
Without asking for a reason, the middle-aged man turned around and led Marvin and Yuniya to a huge warehouse behind the mansion.
Clang...
The heavy door swung open, with the must of dust and rotting wood rushing to greet them; the warehouse was filled with wooden crates, their lids bearing seals in different languages, and a thin layer of sea salt crystals at the bottom suggested their origins.
"I keep all valuable items here. It's comforting to have the good stuff nearby..."
The middle-aged man patted the lid of one of the crates proudly, "This warehouse is worth half of New Ross Port! Without your help in the beginning, Father, I wouldn't be where I am today! Lysild, go get the things the Father asked for!"
"Master, we don't have 1,000 glass bottles in the warehouse..."
The butler Lysild spoke hesitantly, "According to the inventory, we only have ceramics, spices, and tea leaves here..."
"Who says we don't?" the middle-aged man raised an eyebrow, "Didn't we receive a batch of good stuff the day before yesterday?"
"Ah..." The butler's mouth fell open, "But that's..."
"Enough talk, hurry and bring it here!"
"...Yes."
Under the middle-aged man's repeated urging, the butler Lysild called two servants to move a dozen heavy crates onto the lawn outside the warehouse.
With a crowbar in hand, the middle-aged man pried open a crate and took out a glass bottle labeled "50%" and filled with a clear liquid, grinning, "Father, do you know what this is?"
Before Marvin could answer, he spread his arms wide, excitedly exclaiming, "50% concentration cocaine solution! Worth its weight in gold, even more so than gold! Exclusively supplied to those wealthy lords!"
"What a pity..."
He wrested off the cork, tilted his hand slightly, and the liquid, worth as much as gold, traced a beautiful arc in the air, spilling onto the lawn with a soothing sound, quickly absorbed by the earth.
"Hahaha...."
As he poured, the middle-aged man let out a mad laugh, "Listen, Father! What a delightful sound!"
The butler beside him, pained by the loss, trembled his lips and eventually covered his eyes, unable to watch any longer.
Marvin, however, remained calm, "Why not find another container to save it in?"
"Because I'm Grey Wolf Dino! I never sell flawed goods!"
After emptying a bottle, the middle-aged man fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Lysild, go find a container."
"You clearly just forgot, and your silence was just you pondering whether it would be too embarrassing to change your mind, but in the end, you chose to sacrifice your pride over the gold-valued solution."
"I did not!" Dino Bruto huffed, with his neck stiffened, "I... I was just thinking this lawn has been looking a bit droopy lately, so I thought I'd give it a little boost...."
"Your mouth is harder than stone, Dino."