The Young Master in the Shadows

Chapter 300: Out at last!

“I AM OUT AT LAST!” a young man in wrinkled sportswear, a blue pair of flip flops, and disheveled hair yelled loudly as he stretched his hands up while walking out of prison. It was none other than Yulian Von Krone. Free at last!

“Get moving Lad! You can't hang out around here!” An old guard at the gate said dismissively. “And don’t come back here next time, this is no good place for young people like you!”

“Oh… Sorry, I can’t promise you that, Gramps… Hahaha…” he chuckled as he began walking away, he planned to return after the end of the year to harvest some heads.

“I am only 61!” The old man scolded then shook his head as he saw Yulian walk away without a care. Young people these days! “Hay, do you have someone to pick you up?” The old man yelled at Yulian from the back.

“No… I will take a cab!” Yulian said. He made a small fortune in prison after making some, not very legal, bets inside. So he didn’t need to walk!

“We are in the middle of nowhere, There are no cabs….” The old man began to speak then paused as an empty yellow cab stopped right next to Yulian.

“Need a ride, lad?” The middle-aged driver with a receding hairline asked, making the old guard frown… They were out of town? Where did that car come from? They usually didn’t come here even if they called for them.

“Yeah! I am going to town!” Yulian said as he jumped inside.

“Be careful!” The old guard who felt that something was wrong suddenly warned Yulian, but it was too late, the cab was already far away.

…

“So… What are you doing in such a remote place?” Yulian asked the driver as he inspected the perfectly normal car carefully. He was not a fool but he needed a ride.

“I was tasked to drive some snobby granny to her house on a nearby farm… I thought it was a shame to return to the city empty-handed, so I figured I would try the prison. They always let people out in the morning. I served a sentence there myself a long time ago!” the driver said with a sigh.

“Oh…” Yulian relaxed a bit, he could smell the unique scent of a long-expired perfume in the air, the sure sign of an old lady.

“Where to?” the driver asked merrily as if Yulian would earn him a fortune.

“I just want to check the city… why don’t you take me to the white hotel?”

“Oh! You too wanna see the wedding?”

“Too?”

“Yeah… since early morning I have been hauling people toward there! Some are there to protest, some want to take photos… some… who knows….” The driver said with a disturbed expression, “Anyway, no matter what, it is the wedding of the century…”

“I know, right!” Yulian said. “The security must be very strict…”

“Yeah, police are all over the streets! They think some feminists plan to make trouble…” the cab driver sighed.

“Oh…”

“Yeah, they just can’t handle the image of 8 brides getting laid at once. It goes against anything they believe in… There are some rumors that there exist other secret brides. I wonder how that groom will take care of them at night…” the jealous driver said. Hinting at certain things.

“More brides?” Yulian squinted his eyes.

“Yeah… My wife explained it to me this morning, she read it in some tabloid. Apparently, they have ordered 10 dresses!” he said, “ think about it… 10 dresses for only 8 brides!”

“WHAT!” Yulian suddenly asked. “WHO?”

“Don’t scream kid… I am telling you what I know!”

“Sorry about that…. “

“Don’t worry about it… I was wondering about the extra brides all morning too… It could be anyone from a movie star to a handmaid…” he said, agitating Yulian.

“Oh… Can you drive there faster? Double your speed and I will double your fare!” Yulain said.

“Sure… But pay half first…” the driver said with a subtle smile.

Yulian didn’t hesitate as he directly put $200 in the man’s hand.

The man nodded then pressed the gas paddle. He was hired to secretly drive Yulian there as fast as possible, to begin with. But he didn’t want to alert him.

…

The cab reached the Hotel pretty fast, making Yulian a little shocked.

“I was a race driver in my youth!” the driver said proudly as he parked near the hotel, “That’s how I got in trouble!” He told the truth.

“Oh…” Yulian thought that this was very plausible as he paid the rest of the fare and then stepped down the busy grand streets. Looking at a clock on a nearby storefront, he made sure it was still 10.47. The ceremony started at 12.00!

Not knowing why he was there or if he could sneak in he began to wander aimlessly, watching the people who were lining up to take photos or try to sneak in as the police officer and the men in black who surrounded the hotel ordered them to go away.

He sighed as he rotated around the hotel… Searching for a point of entry. There were a few ducts that he could try, but he knew that this was not feasible… Should he ask James Trove for help? Nah, that fat man would never help him. And he wouldn’t be able to enter dressed like this anyway.

Yulian, who was feeling hopeless, could feel that some of the guards around the hotel began to eye him, so he slowly moved to a nearby ally.

“You want in?” someone suddenly said from behind him.

Yulian turned around and saw a youth hiding his mouth with a common mask looking at him.

“What?”

“I saw you earlier… You want in?” the youth asked. “To the wedding?”

“Can you help?”

“Follow me!” the youth said and then began to move deeper into the alley. Yulian hesitated for a second then followed.

They quickly reached another alley where nine haggard young men were waiting. Yulian couldn’t help noticing that they all had similar builds.

“Now... According to the system, the ten of you should be sufficient…” the youth mumbled.

“What?” one of the men asked like a hooligan.

“Listen up! I want you on a mission. I will pay you 10,000 now and another 20,000 when we finish!” the youth said ignoring the hooligan. “It includes sneaking into the wedding… If you can do it, accept. if you don’t have the balls you can leave now!”

None left… Yulian just watched. He was a little suspicious, and his intuition was telling him that something was wrong. How could he be this lucky?

Nevertheless, he needed to enter that wedding!

“Good!” The youth then gave each of the men a pack of wet napkins and a suit. “This should fit you, clean yourself up then put it on,” he said.

Yulian nodded as he grabbed the suit and looked at it. He was surprised that it was of a high-quality brand, but he didn’t let it show as he began to prepare himself with the others. “What do you want us to do?” he asked the youth.

“Nothing dangerous… you just have to enjoy your time and wait… Someone would come and claim that one of the brides was fake… at that moment you just need to begin cheering for the bride's veil to be lifted!” he said, “And after that, you will start cursing at the groom! Your mission is to agitate the attendants!”

“Oh…” Yulian squinted his eyes, this sounded interesting. “What’s in it for you?”

“That’s not your f*cking business!” the youth said. “If you don’t like it you can leave!”

“No… I will do it…” Yulian said as he finished buttoning up his shirt then took the comb the youth offered him and brushed his hair. To tell the truth, he looked handsome, making the youth look at him twice.

“Now our money?” one of the men said.

The youth took 11 envelopes and gave them to the men. “I paid you now… If you don’t do what I told you, I will pay others to break your necks!” he warned.

The men hesitated then nodded. Yulian did too.

“Good!” The youth said as he gave each of the men a silver invitation card. “You can use this to enter! It is meant for some low-ranking company managers, so no one would suspect you. Just act normal and eat your fill… Don’t make trouble before it’s your turn, and make sure to stay until the end to escape with the crowd as they move out!”

The men looked at each other and nodded.

“Now go, what are you waiting for?” The youth asked, making the now fully dressed men look at each other and then move out.

…

The youth smiled as he watched the beggar men leave heading to the hotel… The system's plan was really ingenious! Those men had no idea what was coming!

Now for the next step.

He quickly headed to a nearby motel, where he put on a dashing suit then walked out headed to the wedding venue.

Passing the pesky female protestors who couldn’t help to stop to look at his dashing look, he reached the white hotel where he proudly flashed his golden invitation to the guards at the door. They bowed respectfully for him under the envious eyes of the crowds that were filling the streets outside.

He felt a breath of fresh air as he walked on the red carpet inside… One day he would make a wedding better than this one! A wedding with 100 Brides! No… Why stop at 100? He could make them 1000 or even 1,000,000!

“Sir!” a pretty attendant approached him with a tray, waking him up from his stupid fantasies. “Please put your wedding present here!”

“Present? What present…. Ahhh… Right…” Tom quickly reacted and put his hand inside his jacket where he pulled out an empty envelope from his ring. He just put it on the tray. Like hell, he was going to give Victor any presents for marrying the twins or that slut Margret.

“Sir please write your name on it!” the attendant said with a not-so-friendly smile as she gave him a pen.

Tom hesitated, then started to write a fake name when someone called for him

“TOM! You are here too?”

Tom silently cursed and wrote his real name as he turned to see it was an old friend.

“Anna! It has been a while,” he said as he sighed. So what if it was an empty envelope… Like Victor, that pervert could do anything to him.

“Yes!” Anna said she gave the attendant a cloth bag that clearly had some herbs. Her name was calligraphed on it.

“Thank you very much! This way please!” The attendant bowed then gestured for them to follow her with a smile… Strange… That smile reminded Tom of the one he usually gets in brothels…. Never mind that.

“Where have you been lately? Why didn't you join the academy?” Tom asked as they began to walk. “Why weren't you answering your phone?”

"Young master Victor gave me the recommendation to enter the medicine valley where they don’t allow phones… I am also busy all the time as I was accepted into medical school" she said with a sigh…

"Oh…"

"It is very tiresome, but somehow fulfilling to heal people," she said with a smile. "Now look at you! When did You become so handsome ?" She said, eyeing him. The white suit really suited him.

"I have always been handsome!" he stated.

"Yeah, Yeah... You men and your stupid ego.." she dismissed him, "Do you believe it, The twins and Margret are getting married already!" she sighed again. She was feeling a little jealous, the guy she was after in the medicine valley is as dense as a log!

"Yeah… But it was only a matter of time, especially for Margret," Tom said awkwardly.

"True…. But she really did achieve her dream and scored big!" Anna said as they entered the VIP elevator that headed to the wedding Venue. “Look how rich the groom is!”

"... We will see if this marriage will last when Victor discovers that she is marrying him for his money…" Tom said.

"That's rude.." Anna said as the elevator door opened to the grand Venue.

"That's the truth. You know her..." Tom trailed off as he walked out of the elevator and a girl passed by him nearly bumping into him. She had long purple hair and a slim pair of glasses on her little nose. She seemed annoyed as another purple-haired guy that looked like her servant was appeasing her.

They went inside the elevator.

Damn, she is hot!

"Tom... Tom, are you ok?"

" Ah sorry…."

"Don't worry about it… " Anna said, “Look! This place is really amazing!” she added looking around the huge Venue.

It was a grand hall decorated with all kinds of exotic flowers. The roof was made out of screens projecting a sky scenery.

All around, white round tables were scattered facing a grand stage that was built in the center of the hall. It had some strange dragon legend motifs all over it as if it were some kind of authentic temple.

“Amazing! I heard they will be making some kind of theatrical wedding!” Anna said with her eyes sparkling.

“Yeah… It’s called a ceremonial wedding…” Tom corrected her with a sigh, his friend was always a star worshiper. But he had to confess this place was really amazing.

There were still not many attendants, as they seemed to have arrived a little early. And this allowed them to see more of the hall's details.

"Look, it’s Peter Georgy and Sarah! They are already here!" Anna suddenly waved to her friends who were sitting at a side table.

"Oh… You go see them…. I will need to go to the bathroom before that…. I will catch up with you later," Tom said with a frown. He was on a tight schedule and he needed to be ready for Caspian's arrival.

…

Yulian didn’t go inside the hotel immediately. He waited for a while, the wedding would not start for another hour anyway.

He casually strolled around and then entered a nearby coffee shop where he ordered a cup of cappuccino before asking the blushing waitress if he could use the toilet. She couldn’t say no to his dashing smile.

After closing the toilet’s door, he quickly undressed and then began to check the suit… As expected, in the inner lining of the jacket which he carefully cut using a knife, he found something. It was an envelope that had a strange talisman pasted on it.

Yulian frowned, although he didn’t know how talismans worked, he saw some of them in his family.

Opening the envelope, he found that it was filled by some strange power. Sniffing it he realized that it was some kind of black powder mixed with some herbs... A smoke bomb!

He knew it! That guy was a crook! No wonder he didn’t like him!

He sighed as he closed the envelope and then threw it with the talisman in the toilet.

He quickly rechecked the pants and the shirt then put them on with the jacket before walking out after wetting his hair a little and combing it to the back to reveal his handsome face.

He drank his cappuccino casually, then after giving the waitress a generous tip, he borrowed an envelope and put a candy bar inside of it… He would never forget to bring a present!