The legend of the Crimson Demon clan started from Suqing

#121 - Any evil will eventually be brought to justice, and a thieves group is established!

As midnight approached.

"It's about time."

Chris threw back the covers and leaped energetically out of bed. She had already changed into a set of dark, easy-to-move-in clothing, and her face was covered by a black cloth.

A standard thief's outfit.

She gently pushed open the window, stepped onto the windowsill, and leaped upwards. With extreme agility, she reached the roof of the three-story hotel, where she saw a solitary figure standing, their black robes fluttering in the wind, a mysterious silhouette.

The sound of her feet on the tiles seemed to startle the person, but they didn't turn around, instead saying:

"You've come?"

"I've come."

"You shouldn't have come."

"But I came anyway… Enough, let's not waste time! Seriously, what are you doing here?!"

Chris couldn't help but mutter under her breath.

It had to be said, she was quite clever. Even though Zun Zun had only tapped her head three times, and despite the story's reminder, Chris had still guessed Zun Zun's intention, knowing it was a coded signal to her.

"So, where are we going to steal something later? I didn't ask because I was in a hurry before. If we're going to a place I don't like, I'm turning around and leaving… Wait, what are you laughing at?"

Zun Zun turned his head.

He discovered Chris covering her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh.

"Sorry, but your mask… it's just too funny… Hahaha——"

He was still wearing the Fire Man mask, which, while concealing his face, amplified the humor tenfold.

"Alright, I'll tell you."

After laughing, Chris tried hard to compose her face, saying, "We're going to the Schneider Viscount's mansion to collect the artifacts he's been gathering using foreign powers. Don't worry, he's a nobleman with a bad reputation; many commoners have been bullied and exploited by him. I've already decided that after collecting the artifacts, we'll take some jewels and donate them at the Eris Church entrance as relief funds."

"I see, in that case, I'm going back to sleep."

"Wait for me!"

Just as Zun Zun was about to jump off the roof and go back, she grabbed his arm.

"Zun Zun, you're not scared, are you? Trying to desert at the last minute?"

"Don't joke around, Chris. I thought we'd be going to a place with some difficulty, like a Earl's or Marquis's mansion. Don't waste my precious sleep time on small fry nobles like Viscounts."

"Ah!?"

She thought Zun Zun was afraid because the other party was a noble, but she didn't expect him to dislike that they weren't a high-ranking noble, feeling that the trip wasn't challenging enough to make him happy.

The Red Demon Clan's thought process is indeed different.

Chris sighed as if she was truly helpless with him, saying, "If that's why you're worried, you don't need to be. Schneider was originally a high-ranking noble, but he was stripped of his title for making mistakes. However, he later became a Viscount again by donating money to the kingdom, you understand?"

"Oh?"

Zun Zun's eyes lit up.

People who are stripped of their noble titles are usually held accountable and expelled from the country, and may even be executed. Yet, not only did he not suffer that fate, but he also became a noble again by donating money. How rich must he be?

"So, our target this time is him?"

"That's right, that's right."

Chris was happy to have piqued Zun Zun's interest. Just as she was about to start explaining the next part of the plan——

"That plan, let me hear it too."

A familiar voice came from behind. Zun Zun and Chris, who were discussing their wicked plan, froze when they heard these words.

Their expressions changed, like rusty robots that hadn't been oiled in a long time, their necks making cracking and grinding sounds as they turned to look at the person standing behind them.

"A… Alice?"

"You two, what are you doing here?"

Hearing Alice ask this innocently, Zun Zun instantly worried about whether he should tell the truth. However, he remembered that this child's impression of thief groups shouldn't be bad.

"Actually, we…"

"We're looking at the stars, right!"

Chris covered Zun Zun's mouth, preventing him from speaking.

Looking at the stars?

Alice raised her head, looking at the dark night sky, full of unpredictable clouds, not to mention stars, there wasn't even a moon.

—This excuse is too bad!

—I was just saying it!

The two exchanged glances in secret.

Alice said in a tone that seemed innocent but carried a dark and knowing undertone: "But I just heard you say you were going to steal something from the Schneider Viscount's mansion. Did I hear wrong? Should I pay a visit to the Schneider Viscount's mansion later? Although it's a bit late, he should welcome me, right."

Huh???

Where did you start eavesdropping, and this threat is too skilled! You're not the pure and kind Alice I know!

Zun Zun and Chris exchanged a look. Seeing that they couldn't hide it, they revealed everything they were going to do.

"Actually, we plan to sneak into the Schneider Viscount's mansion and take away a rather special magical artifact."

"What does that mean? It sounds like it could be interesting!"

Alice's eyes sparkled.

Seeing her reaction was so eager, Chris tried to dissuade her, saying, "You can't, this is not a game. The place we're going is extremely dangerous, and accidents might happen. Therefore, we must hide our identities and not be exposed to the sunlight."

Zun Zun followed up, saying, "That's right, we are those who lurk in the shadows, hunting those who dwell in shadow!"

"Lurking in the shadows, hunting shadows! ?"

Hearing this, Alice's eyes lit up.

Chris continued, "A-and… not only that, in order to punish the black-hearted nobles, we may have to take some illegal measures within our imagined scope, exposing his hidden sins so that he can be escorted to jail…"

Zun Zun followed, "That's right, all evil will be brought to justice!"

"Punishing nobles, all evil will be brought to justice! ? Please let me join! Let me become your partner too!"

Hearing this, it was unclear which part touched her heart, but Alice's eyes became even brighter for some reason, and she clenched her fists.

Chris glared at Zun Zun, who was pretending to whistle.

"Zun Zun, can you stop talking?"

"Oh, Chris, since Alice is so motivated, it's okay to let her join, right? Or are you trying to let her run to the Schneider's house to be a guest? Besides, Chris, you don't want your whereabouts to be exposed, do you?"

"Ugh, ugh, ugh!"

Chris gritted her teeth.

She probably didn't understand why Zun Zun insisted on bringing Alice—the kingdom's princess—but as Zun Zun said, if Alice ran to the Schneider's house, her plan would definitely fail, bringing no small difficulty to their actions.

"Si-since you've said it to this extent, then fine. But this is a rather dangerous operation, Alice, you must follow orders."

"No problem!"

Alice agreed immediately, and said, "The… cough cough, the Chintz Plate Merchant is very powerful, and will definitely not hold you two back!"

What's a Chintz Plate Merchant?

It sounded as if she was from the Red Demon Clan.

It was true that she wouldn't hold them back. It was no exaggeration to say that Alice could easily deal with both of them right now.

"Speaking of which…"

Chris asked curiously, "Alice, how did you find out that we would be meeting on the roof in the middle of the night?"

"Needless to say, Alice must have read the next plot of that book and thought of this, so she found out."

However——

"No, that's not how it is. My room is right across from here. Because Zun Zun was standing on the roof all night, I was curious, so I came to ask, and unexpectedly overheard your conversation."

Alice pointed to the brightly lit room in the distance, which could clearly see everything here. Chris was speechless after seeing it.

"Zun Zun…"

"Don't ask anything."

"Hey…"

"Don't say anything."

Damn it! I hate the other world where I can't know the exact time without a clock!

Zun Zun chuckled softly: "Hmph hmph hmph, actually, I probably already guessed that there would be such a situation, so I prepared in advance."

"What?"

Chris and Alice looked at him in confusion. They saw Zun Zun tear off his own ridiculous mask and black night clothes, revealing the pure white dress inside.

"Look, my gorgeous transformation!"

The pure white dress and trousers are paired with a light blue lining, and the red tie is a bit eye-catching. The magician's top hat and the noble's monocle make Zun Zun look very elegant, while the white cloak fluttering in the wind brings a hint of chic and dashing.

He doesn't look like a thief who would steal things from other people's houses, but more like an elegant noble who is going to attend a ball later.

Zun Zun flicked his cloak.

"Hmph hmph hmph, the Red Demon Clan pays the most attention to pomp! How about it, isn't my outfit very handsome!"

"Very handsome! Really handsome!"

Alice had completely become his little fan.

Chris protested: "I say, we're going to steal things later, not attend a ball! I know the Red Demon Clan likes handsome things, but normally the color scheme shouldn't be red and black? White or something is too conspicuous!"

"That's not right, Chris. It's true that the Red Demon Clan likes pomp, and it's also true that they like the combination of red and black, but I still prefer this set of clothes! But don't worry, I've also prepared another set of spare clothes."

Zun Zun tore open the lining, revealing a set of black dress inside. This was learned from a certain cautious hero, spare, spare spare, spare spare spare.

"Please rest assured, the preparations are quite complete."

"Ha ah…"

Chris twitched her lips.

"Rather than that, let's think about what name to take."

Zun Zun said to Chris: "Originally, I wanted something simple like the Yin-Yang Duo Killers, the Black and White Bandits, but since Alice has joined, we can only change the name. The Sky-Shocking Magic Thief Group, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts? We can't call ourselves the Toushan Thief Gang or the Edo Thief Gang, right? Or… Chris, do you like the name Silver-Haired Thief Gang?"

"That kind of thing doesn't matter!"

Chris only felt depressed.

Then she walked silently towards the target's mansion. She had already begun to doubt whether her decision to let Zun Zun help was right.