The King of Black Fog

He handed over "Human Confession."

Yang Qinglan took it, her eyes searching for the 'Essay Collection' category.

She couldn't find it until she also spoke softly, "Okay, I heard there are many sailboats at the dock," then realized the 'Essay Collection' was right in front of her.

Li Changzhou couldn't help but chuckle softly, his gaze intently fixed on her profile, eyes twinkling with light.

Yang Qinglan, with a glance, gently glared at him and took from his hands Ji Xianlin's "Time Never Speaks, Yet It Answers All Questions," and without even a look, casually placed it into the 'Masterpieces' section.

Standing on the bluestone slabs of Yanhe Road at night, looking from the outside in, the glass window framed the two of them like a picture frame.

◇

Although they said they would rest early, the three of them actually finished their morning classes and only set off for Sicily at 12 PM.

It was Friday, Li Changzhou and Li Qianxia had no class in the afternoon, and Yang Qinglan was playing hooky, hoping the teacher wouldn't call the roll.

"Let's go!" Li Qianxia ordered.

The three disappeared into "Honey Pot World."

◇

French writer Maupassant once said, "If someone could only stay in Sicily for one day and he asked me where he should go, I would answer without hesitation, Taormina."

Taormina, the most famous resort in Sicily.

When the trio appeared in this small town built upon a hillside by the sea, it was 6 AM.

"I have two mornings in one day!" Li Qianxia exclaimed, her gaze sweeping over the black and white floor tiles, then looking towards the distant Ionian Sea, Mount Etna.

More precisely, the location was: April 9 Square.

To the west of the square, under a bell tower built in the 12th century, Yafeiluna came alone.

Her red hair wavy like the ocean, dressed in a form-fitting long dress, stepping in high heels.

"Lord Black Mist." She bent her beautiful, straight back.

"Mm," Li Changzhou responded, "Don't use that title anymore, 'Master' is my new identity."

"Yes." Yafeiluna's tone remained flat, her bow deepening.

"Shall we find a place to have some brunch?" Li Changzhou asked Yang Qinglan.

Yang Qinglan nodded slightly, agreeing.

"I heard Italy is the mother of Western cuisine!" Li Qianxia said expectantly.

"Lord Mosquito, I have already prepared the most authentic Italian meal for you, 'Master', and 'Lord Qing'," Yafeiluna then straightened up and said with a smile.

She led the way, walking through the empty streets in the early morning, introducing the small town.

In Taormina, residential houses, hotels, and villas were interspersed neatly from the hillside down to the seashore.

Lush vegetation dotted between the white walls and red tiles, complemented by beaches, rocks, and the sea, seemed like a giant, artificially sculpted bonsai.

Although it was morning in Italy, Yafeiluna prepared the meal according to the standards of lunch or dinner.

Before eating, they still said, "Buon appetito!"

"What does that mean?" Despite having Yafeiluna, Li Changzhou still asked the noble local of Ming City, Yang Qinglan.

"Eat well, drink well," Yang Qinglan replied as she ate fried seafood.

"Is it that grounded?" Li Changzhou laughed and picked up the Parma ham from the appetizer plate.

After finishing the appetizer, moving onto the main course, Yafeiluna briefed the three of them on the current situation of the Mafia.

The era of the Mafia was long over, and before the Value Game began, only three Mafia families in Italy were still somewhat getting by.

Yafeiluna's "Camorra," based in Naples.

The "Glorious Society," based in Venice, led by Calvino.

As well as Sicily's "Cosa Nostra"—translated as "our own thing," for convenience referred to as "Our Thing," whose leader was Herde.

The three Mafia families initially planned to unite to jointly confront the church.

"Don't you believe in religion? Isn't it said that 87.8% of Italians believe in the Catholic church?" Li Qianxia said while eating a Florentine steak that was 30% cooked and bloody.

Yang Qinglan didn't order that; he opted for seafood.

On the long table, in front of the four people, there was beef, lamb, lean pork, turkey, frogs, fried fish, potatoes, vegetables, roast chicks, pickled vegetables... everything was extremely abundant.

Various side dishes were placed between the meats.

"We do," Yafeiluna said, "but that doesn't prevent us from collecting protection money, arbitrating criminals privately, and organizing and overseeing some illegal agreements and deals. If the church subdues us, it would make us unemployed."

"The employment situation is indeed very severe now," Li Qianxia said, nodding in agreement as she drank red wine.

She wasn't really listening, her thoughts entirely on the food on the table.

"You initially planned to unite? Does that mean something changed?" Li Changzhou asked.

He had no interest in foreign affairs; what the Mafia wanted to do was of no concern to him, unless one day he won the Value game and truly became the "Host."

"The church is too powerful," Yafeiluna continued.

A cardinal went door to door, teaching everyone a lesson; even Yafeiluna herself couldn't stand against him (before Li Changzhou became the 'Host').

And he required them, on the 22nd day of the Heavenly God's Rose Month (October), in the Monreale Cathedral in Sicily, to bring offerings and offer their faith to the "Host."

The "Glorious Society" and "Our Thing" had already sincerely submitted, collecting some offerings.

These offerings were herbs that could enhance attributes.

Yafeiluna was Li Changzhou's "mistress," so naturally, she couldn't submit directly like the other two families.

"Sir, these are the herbs I collected with my people, I am sorry, we only have two types." Yafeiluna spread out her hands, and five seconds later, two boxes appeared in her hands.

Li Changzhou took them and casually handed them to Yang Qinglan.

'Fig', 10 points in Constitution, 5 points in Strength, 5 points in Agility, usable in concocting elixir pills to enhance Constitution.

'Poisonous Celery', 10 points in Constitution, 5 points in Strength, 6 points in Agility, also increases Constitution.

Although there were only two plants, they had cost Yafeiluna all her effort during this period.

These were two first level players who could break through limits at any moment!

There are approximately 370000 species of plants in the world; the exact number is vast, far surpassing humans

To count the exact number of plants is as difficult as counting the sand grains in the Sahara Desert; it's basically impossible.

With so many plants, it's not rare to find those that are mature (first level), but finding them depends more on luck than on strength.

"Well done," Li Changzhou praised.

He hadn't expected that a subordinate he had taken on casually could be so remarkably useful.

Both Yang Qinglan and Li Qianxia needed such herbs, with their Constitutions at 8 and 9 points, respectively.

Even without other gains, this trip to Sicily was fruitful; two attribute points were equivalent to leveling up.

He planned to rob the other two Mafia organizations and raid the Monreale Cathedral, which should yield at least three more attribute points.

In an era where first level players don't dare match up, only waiting to take elixirs, sourcing was very important.

Li Changzhou decided that after finding a Mafia player to test the "Black Mist" ability, he would reward Yafeiluna with two skills.

"This is what I should do," Yafeiluna did not crave new rewards.

The two evolutions of the 'Mist Subordinate' made her feel she had to do something, otherwise, she'd feel too useless!

So she exhausted all her clever tactics, and with a bit of luck, she finally found two types of herbs.

"Tell me about the abilities of the other two Mafia leaders," Li Changzhou said while fiddling with a roast chick with his fork and knife.

"Yes."