Chapter 269 - Invitation (1/2)

The word about Zero's dark side started spreading slowly across the abyss' network. For some reason, none of the Demon Lords was upset about it. In fact, they seemed rather pleased to know that Zero was capable of torture and murder if he truly wanted it.

Mammon looked at the white envelope on his desk. The red wax stamp seal remained unbroken but Mammon didn't need to open it to know who it was from or what it was about. In fact, the Demon Lord didn't want to receive it. He sighed, thinking about a way out of the pesky meeting.

A servant knocked on the door and Mammon quickly hid the letter away.

”Come in,” he said and pulled on his hood.

The servant entered with a bow. ”Lord Mammon, word has arrived from the Garden of Roth. The Sage God doctor and his apprentice have arrived. They wish to speak to you regarding a request for sponsorship.”

Mammon's eyes glinted from beneath the hood. ”Show them in,” he told the servant who bowed and left to do his biddings.

Mammon grinned. What great timing! Now he can push this annoying task to Zero. After all, he just had to find a proxy of a status similar or more powerful than his to attend the stupid meeting. Heaven surely won't object if Zero attends. That boy had powerful supporters after all.

Mammon didn't even have time to clean his desk when there was another knock on the door with a strange aura behind it, indicating that his guests had arrived. That teleportation gate at Garden of Roth was way too convenient.

”Come in,” he called out.

The servants bowed after opening the door and informed him of his guests before ushering them to their seats and serving Poxie tea. She left quickly and Mammon activated the magic barrier so that they wouldn't be disturbed.

”What brings you here?” he asked the teen who smiled.

”Shifu says that I need practical experience to complete my medical training. We don't have a lot of patients in Half Moon Village and I cannot travel without Truen so I'm asking for permission to open up a free treatment centre for a short while in the abyss. However, the Garden of Roth is very poor so I need your help.”

Mammon thought about it. Money wasn't a real problem for him. Thanks to the Garden of Roth's incredible network, his auction houses had benefited a lot from it. Goods could be transported quickly and safely, the crime rate in the Garden of Roth was practically non-existent with all the Demon Lords sending guards to patrol it regularly. Mammon shifted some of his logistic operations there because of the low crime rate. In fact, Heaven had started discussing some side business deals with him and Mammon had a lot to thank Zero for.

”There is no free lunch in this world. I can take care of this for you if you help me out with one small matter.”

Zero blinked. ”What kind of small matter?”

Mammon reached into his side desk drawer to pull out that white envelope. Zero noticed how it smelled of holy attribute magic. Did Mammon want him to dispel that?

”Open it,” the Demon Lord said and Zero paused.

The letter was still sealed. If such a powerful Demon Lord wasn't able to open it, didn't it mean that the contents of the letter were dangerous? Zero became cautious and prepared to throw up a magic barrier should something happen.

Carefully, Zero broke the red wax seal and waited for something to happen. When nothing happened, the teenager slowly lifted the flap and pulled out the contents inside. There was only a thin card inside addressed to Mammon.

Zero read the card twice and turned his eyes to the hooded Demon Lord. ”This is...?”

Mammon nodded. ”You will attend on my behalf.”

For a moment, nobody spoke. Then, Zero jolted in his chair.

”EHHHH??!!!!”

Hua Tuo frowned in annoyance and smacked Zero lightly, pulling him back down to sit properly in his chair. The teen had jumped up and made a commotion in the Demon Lord's office. In addition to that, his knee had hit the solid wooden desk, causing a nearby feather quill to fall off from the impact.

Mammon expected a similar reaction and nodded. ”You see... I have a lot of work to do here. Attending frivolous parties like this will not help me finish my work.”

Zero gave Mammon a look. The Demon Lord was a workaholic, it wasn't surprising that he had a lot of work to do. As a doctor, Zero thought that the party might do Mammon some good. He needed time away from his office and work.

Mammon guessed what Zero wanted to say and decided to give a more convincing reason so that the boy would attend. ”It will give you a chance to check on your friend there. I heard that Merlin will be taking a break as well to attend the party. I just need you to go there and represent Hell's interest in a collaboration. The Garden of Roth is your domain after all. You're already considered one of us.”

Zero couldn't refute that so Mammon added on to his complaints about annoying angels, noisy Gods, the awful holy food and long boring sessions of socialisations. Zero got the cue at the end of it all. In a nutshell, Mammon wasn't fond of parties and very much prefered the scenery in Hell. Zero had never been to Heaven for a full tour so the opportunity excited him.

Hua Tuo took the opportunity to interject that Zero still hasn't completed his training.

”Lord Mammon, this is the final stage of Zero's training. Once he is finished with his training with me, I will personally escort him to Heaven. Merlin will take over from there if it is fine with you.”

Mammon nodded. ”The meeting will be in a few months. If you have confidence that you can complete it by then, I have no issues with it.”

”It is settled then. Thank you for your assistance, Lord Mammon.”