The next morning, David had just finished breakfast when there was a knock at his door. Tariq stood outside, grinning. "Feel like going shopping?"
"Of course," David replied, stepping out. "You really need to add some entertainment facilities here. And the books on the shelf could use an update—something more exciting than old biographies."
Tariq chuckled. "That's all Pavel's doing. He loves to act all sophisticated. Come on, I'll show you the magical animals. This time, I won't be so cautious."
David followed Tariq down several levels, deep into the mountain. They arrived at a vast square filled with cages, each housing a different magical creature. The sheer number of animals was staggering.
"These are just the common ones," Tariq said, leading David past rows of cages. "Let me show you the real treasures."
They turned into a corridor, and the atmosphere changed. The air was thick with the roars and growls of powerful creatures. Unlike the docile animals in the main square, these creatures were alert and restless.
David's eyes widened as they passed by venomous horned beasts, lion-headed scorpion-tailed creatures, and even a massive horned camel. But what truly caught his attention was a strange, white creature in one of the rooms.
It looked like a lion but had two long goat-like horns and a flowing white beard. Its body was covered in unhealed wounds, and it seemed weak, yet its eyes were sharp and intelligent.
"Bai Ze," David whispered, the name coming to him as if from a deep memory.
Tariq glanced at him, surprised. "You know what it is?"
David shook his head. "Not really. But it's... fascinating. Why is it in such bad shape?"
Tariq sighed. "We took it from the imposters—the ones pretending to be us. We've tried to treat it, but it won't let us near. It's like it can see right through us, knows our intentions."
David stepped closer, his heart pounding. The creature's piercing gaze locked onto him, and for a moment, he felt exposed, as if all his secrets were laid bare. But then, the creature—Bai Ze—nodded slightly, as if acknowledging him.
"Let me try to heal it," David said, turning to Tariq.
Tariq hesitated. "It's dangerous. That thing's unpredictable."
"I'll be careful," David insisted. "If I succeed, what's my reward?"
Tariq rolled his eyes. "You're really obsessed with money, aren't you? Fine, if you can heal it, I'll make sure you're compensated."
David approached Bai Ze cautiously, speaking softly in a language he hadn't used in years—Chinese. "I'm here to help you. Let me heal your wounds."
To his surprise, Bai Ze nodded again, its demeanor shifting from hostile to cooperative. Tariq watched in awe as David applied potions and bandaged the creature's wounds. By the time they finished, Bai Ze looked significantly better.
"How did you do that?" Tariq asked, amazed.
David shrugged. "I guess it just trusted me."
Over the next few days, David and Tariq continued to care for Bai Ze. David couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him, but he kept it to himself. He was also preoccupied with finding a way to pass information to Newt without alerting Tariq or the others.
One evening, as David sat in his room, there was a knock at the door. A wizard in a swallowtail dog mask entered, carrying a tray of food. "New dishes today. I need to explain them to you."
David's guard went up immediately. The man's tone was casual, but there was something off about him. As the man set the tray down, he spoke again, his voice low. "It's not easy to get close to you, Tenth. But you've done well, getting so close to the R organization's boss."
David's mind raced. "Tenth?" Was this man referring to Terry, his undercover identity? Did Terry have partners? Was this part of the mission, or was he being tested?
The man continued, seemingly unaware of David's confusion. "You haven't sent any news out yet. The sale's about to start, and you've been quiet. If it were anyone else, I'd suspect they'd gone rogue."
David forced himself to stay calm. "They've been keeping a close eye on me. Tariq's always around. I haven't had a chance."
The man nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Give me the bird. I'll find a way to get the message out during my patrol."
"The bird?" David's mind scrambled. What was the man talking about? He glanced around the room, trying to buy time. "I'll get it for you," he said, moving toward the desk.
As he pretended to search for the nonexistent "bird," David's thoughts raced. "Who is this man? Is he really part of the mission, or is this a trap?" He needed to tread carefully.
The man in the swallowtail dog mask watched him, his expression unreadable. "Hurry up, Tenth. We don't have all day."
David turned back, forcing a smile. "I must've misplaced it. I'll find it and get it to you later."
The man frowned but nodded. "Don't take too long. The sale's in five days. We can't afford any mistakes."
As the man left, David sank into a chair, his mind reeling. The stakes were higher than ever, and the lines between friend and foe were blurring. He needed to figure out who he could trust—and fast.
The clock was ticking, and the sale was approaching. David knew one thing for certain: he couldn't afford to slip up. Not now. Not when so much was at stake.