The Shepherds Are Dense

Chapter 128: Lily’s Killing Intent

Lily trailed Antler, wandering through the vast architectural space.She mapped its structure in her mind.

The building was boxy yet labyrinthine—each room could have doors or passages on any of its four sides.

Few rooms connected in all four directions; most led to two or three.

According to Antler, this was a common style in the giant dynasty’s architecture.

No L-shaped corridor corners existed, as the entire structure was composed of square and rectangular rooms.

This was because giants had blind spots in their vision, making them vulnerable to ambushes at corners.

Sturdy walls and winding routes forced large groups to scatter and compress into narrow streams.

Giants disdained traps, but Lily felt traps alone could wipe out many intruders.

As a result, giants were likely safe from ambushes.

But Lily clearly realized Antler was lost—they’d passed the same room three times, yet he hadn’t noticed.

Lily, however, was piecing together the layout.

The reason for getting lost was simple.

The giants’ craftsmanship was uneven, with walls of varying thickness.

Rather than building a structure and dividing it into rooms, they seemed to construct one room at a time, expanding outward.

Thus, some rooms had walls of different thicknesses, causing misaligned layouts.

Turning left four times should form a loop, but it didn’t return to the starting room.

Lily’s [Spider Silk Sense] mapped the building’s contours clearly in her mind.

Sensing wall thickness prevented her from getting lost.

While they wandered, Lily, as “Gray,” conversed with Antler.

When she expressed curiosity about the Round Table Hall, she noticed Antler seemed to mistake her for a member of the Strangler Gang.

Her practiced strangling technique, combined with Lloyd District’s prevalence of low-level Love and Adaptation Path transcendents, likely caused the misjudgment.

Afterward, Antler heavily implied a close connection to the organization above Lily—“Gray’s” supposed group.

That could only mean the Lloyd Society, Lily thought.

Though she hadn’t fully grasped the ritual’s tasks, she keenly sensed Antler’s intent.

His words were both an attempt to build rapport and a probe into her identity.

If “Mr. Gray” were truly from the Strangler Gang, he’d know the Lloyd Society managed it.

Lily had no direct contact with these factions.

But as Aiwass’s personal maid, she’d accompanied him when he joined the Lloyd Society.

On the way back, Aiwass had explained the relationships between Lloyd District’s gangs and the Society.

So, instead of admitting to being part of the Strangler Gang, Lily boldly escalated—she claimed to be from the Lloyd Society, using a high-ranking name similar to her alias.

To avoid exposing Aiwass, she chose someone he didn’t know.

“…Lady Greygreen?”

Antler clearly knew the name, responding naturally.

“I’m not too close with her.

She mainly handles private loans, manages Lloyd District’s small gangs, and runs her casinos and nightclubs—am I right?

But I’m very close with your Vice-President Boca… you could even call us bosom friends.”

“Then I’d guess you’re a minister.”

Gray’s low voice came from the void.

“Vice-President Boca often hinted he’s tight with a minister.

And you know the Round Table Hall so well…”

“No need to probe,” Antler laughed heartily.

“I’m that Droste.”

‘If he’s from the Lloyd Society, he’s one of us.’

Antler reasoned that someone daring to join a Crescent Ritual, not naive about their own limits, and familiar with Lady Greygreen—likely her direct subordinate—was no fool.

Their similar codenames suggested a close connection, perhaps her protégé.

Greygreen was no pushover.

A peak fourth-tier transcendent, she was Avalon’s top assassin.

Now middle-aged, her physical prowess had slightly waned, but her experience and cunning had grown, making her even deadlier.

She held dirt on many Round Table Hall ministers, resolving issues without lifting a finger, using leverage instead.

No wonder “Mr. Gray” was asking about this—likely gathering intel to curry favor with Greygreen.

He was at least mid-level in the Lloyd Society, with his first Path around third-tier strength.

Though this was his first Adaptation Path ritual, his skills were far beyond a typical novice.

He was likely Greygreen’s personally trained disciple, inheriting her mystic arts.

Greygreen excelled in unmatched stealth and masterful poisoning.

Antler had planned to hire her to kill his secretary, John Rough, to tie up loose ends.

But Greygreen was busy, and the Iris’s spies beat him to it, killing Rough and exposing his involvement in contraband smuggling.

Antler’s good public image and leverage over other ministers had barely stabilized the situation.

But he had to lie low now—another scandal could ruin him.

With this in mind, he decided to befriend Gray to connect with Greygreen.

Next time, he’d notify her immediately to handle any fallout.

As Avalon’s trade minister, Antler was adept at leveraging others’ networks.

An unassuming figure could, through a few connections, link to someone useful.

Thus, it was best not to offend anyone—a strategy of hedging bets.

But hearing Antler’s words, Gray fell silent.

After a long pause, he asked cautiously.

“What’s your full name?

Your secretary’s name?

Your illegitimate child’s name?”

This was to verify Antler’s identity.

Antler smiled, hearing the question.

It confirmed Gray’s intent and his ties to Greygreen and the Lloyd Society.

“I’m Charles Droste.

My chief private secretary, recently killed by Iris spies, was John Rough—the one I contacted Greygreen through Boca to eliminate.

She was too busy, so it was delayed.

As for an illegitimate child… I don’t have a son.

I have one illegitimate daughter, born to a prostitute.

One of my few times being deceived, a personal shame.

I’ve forgotten her name—it was chosen by the prostitute.

She’s likely a servant in the Moriarty household now.”

Antler said earnestly.

“That prostitute was mad, wanting me to marry her.

Getting rid of her took effort—that was my first job with Greygreen.

The girl’s now auditing at the Royal Law University, possibly meeting my granddaughter.

To be safe, I want Greygreen to take her out too.

Last time, I was too soft, declining Greygreen’s ‘package deal.’

I regret it now.

She should die quietly, without suspicion of murder.

Let the Moriartys bury her normally.

Report this to Greygreen.

I want her death confirmed within a month, and I’ll transfer the payment to the agreed account.”

Antler wasn’t worried about being deceived or exposing secrets in the dream.

Using intel had a high threshold—not just anyone could exploit it.

Upon waking, much of the dream was forgotten.

Dream knowledge couldn’t be verified through lie detection, so it wasn’t admissible evidence.

Even memory searches couldn’t access dream-world details.

In the transcendent black market, booklets of dream-world experiences were sold.

Some held lost secrets, but most were ramblings.

Poorly written, muddled, or dreamlike, they mixed forgotten details, flawed reasoning, exaggerations, artistic embellishments, or deliberate falsehoods to hide truths.

Such items fetched low prices and weren’t credible evidence or leverage.

Even in front of Red or Inspector Gordon, Antler wouldn’t fear.

At Minister Droste’s level, without solid proof, accusations were powerless.

Even with evidence, if he remained useful to Queen Sophia and the Round Table Hall didn’t want him removed, he’d face only a royal reprimand.

Thus, placing orders in dreams was safest.

Advancement rituals were the easiest way to enter the dream world.

Be it the smuggling deal with King or the assassination order to Gray, no evidence would remain.

Relayed words lacked credibility.

“I’ll report to Lady Greygreen.”

Gray’s voice grew lower, colder.

At that moment, a heart-wrenching howl echoed from afar.

Not a scream of attack, but the anguish of a lovesick man or a gambler losing everything.

It was Thunder’s voice!

“Go check it out.”

Antler’s tone turned serious, issuing a low command.