great-warnovel Chapter 448 Invalid Secrecy Agreement
Chapter 448 Invalid Secrecy Agreement
Chapter 448 Invalid Secrecy Agreement
Warsaw’s underground network is quite complex, but Grindelwald seemed to know it like the back of his hand.
Using magic for navigation is simpler than using technology. The old man transformed a tracking spell into a sly little mouse, which led the way.
The two people and the machine walked slowly through the dark tunnel, and could vaguely hear hushed conversations and noises coming from other passages.
"This place has the largest underground black market on land. Contraband from the wizarding world and the Muggle world converge here from all directions. Every day, countless shady transactions take place here," Grindelwald said.
"Although there is some underground agriculture, it is difficult to even feed the locals. Those who can survive here must have some skills."
They emerged from the inconspicuous passage and were greeted by a huge, bustling market. Incandescent lamps, kerosene lamps, torches, and magic candles—all sorts of lighting methods were hung from the cave ceiling, illuminating the place as if it were daytime.
The uneven, unplanned ground, the freely dug caves and steps, make this place look like a den of iniquity.
The narrow road was lined with stalls, one after another. Behind the shop owners were their own dug-out hiding places and residences. The road was so narrow that it could only accommodate one and a half people. If two people walked towards each other, they had to turn sideways to let each other pass.
The view wasn't dark, but everyone covered themselves up completely, their bodies shrouded in black robes, making it difficult to even discern their physical form.
"Is this how black market transactions are conducted?" Hermione was somewhat surprised.
"What's on display are just small trinkets; the really dangerous ones will find a place to hide and set their prices."
Grindelwald snapped his fingers, and a Distortion Charm was cast on the three men, making them look like three insignificant merchants.
Hermione and Adam's appearances are too eye-catching; if such adorable children weren't concealed, they would be kidnapped within three steps.
"You can buy and sell anything here, including humans, of course."
"Grey Burke once bought Muggles here to expand his army."
Hermione frowned. "If it was reasonable that you were powerless to intervene here fifty years ago, is it really impossible now?"
She had witnessed the power of the UMNO; the fortified Volgograd was reduced to ashes without the Black Lord's personal intervention, let alone a virtually undefended "neutral city" like Warsaw.
Hermione dislikes the human trafficking trade, and this place isn't actually that far from Paris.
"Beauxbatons also has a dealership here," the Dark Lord said casually, his eyes darting around each stall with interest.
Guns, ammunition, power armor, morphine, and antibiotics.
Potions, invisibility cloaks, spellbooks, and the master's legacy wand.
A baby unicorn kept in a cage, a mermaid soaking in a stinky water tank—
The cries of vendors rose and fell, but how many of them were genuine was unknown. Hermione, for instance, thought the so-called Qilin cub looked more like a mutated fawn.
Grindelwald's meaning was clear: if he couldn't stand these evil deals, why not start by reforming Beauxbatons, which had a closer relationship with Hogwarts?
Since Warsaw exists, it must have its own value. If we really bring it under control, it will lose its value as a neutral black market. Intelligence, supplies, and even bounties can all be found here that cannot be obtained in a strictly ordered society.
The narrow passageway made the flow of people appear very dense, with everyone hurrying along and remaining silent.
Gray rats scurried between his feet, while Grindelwald and his two companions moved forward slowly in a line.
She had to occasionally turn aside to avoid the people next to her. Relying on her powerful senses, Hermione was able to identify the identities hidden under each robe: nervous Muggles, goblins wearing humanoid power armor, and lone dark wizards disguised as Inferi. She even spotted a stall belonging to the new Hogsmeade.
Some audacious wizards would smuggle in cheap and good items from the city and resell them at high prices. Of course, this was illegal, and if caught, they would not only go to jail but also be deported and would not be allowed to enter the country again for decades.
But if the profits are high enough, there are plenty of people willing to take the risk.
Hermione didn't want to get involved; that was the city's law enforcement's business. At most, she would write to Moody and ask him to urge the Aurors to step up their efforts.
"There are all sorts of races here, so are the Warsaw Supreme Council members all human?"
As the highest governing body here, even though it doesn't have much real power, it still maintains its own armed forces and collects poll taxes and commercial taxes, although it may not be able to collect them all.
"They're all human on the surface," Adam suddenly said, interrupting Grindelwald who was about to answer.
The old man glanced at him again.
"Let's hear what the Soviets have to say," he said sarcastically.
Adam mentioned earlier that the Warsaw Supreme Council had been secretly flirting with the Supreme Soviet, something he was unaware of.
"They're vampires," the robot boy said calmly.
"The members of parliament who hold half the seats in the Warsaw Parliament, including the speaker, have secretly and voluntarily become vampires."
"This file isn't considered a secret in Chelomene; the higher-ups all know that Warsaw is practically the most important gathering place for vampires on the continent."
Hermione frowned. "They've become inhuman. Will the Soviet Union still cooperate with them?"
Whether it's Hogwarts, the Mafia, or the Soviet Union, they are all extensions of human supremacy in terms of ideology. Even if Muggles and goblins cooperate, it's because there is no possibility of transformation between goblins and Muggles, nor is there a food chain relationship between them.
Vampires, like werewolves, eat people. Although they can survive by drinking animal blood, very few vampires in this world can resist drinking human blood.
If the Soviet Union's cooperation with fairies was somewhat understandable, then cooperating with vampires was a bit out of its mind.
Vampires are wizards in a sense. Even Muggles, after being converted, can acquire spellcasting abilities if they receive some magical education, though the strength of these abilities may vary.
Anti-magic stance was the fundamental reason for the Soviet Union's continued existence, while vampires seemed to be the ones undermining it. If this dark race were allowed to erode the population, the Soviet Union might soon become a vampire kingdom.
"Anyway, it's all about sucking the people's blood, so what difference does it make how you suck it?" Grindelwald commented with a sneer.
Adam added, "It's not just the Warsaw Supreme Council; some high-ranking officials within the Soviet Union have also secretly switched sides, but the specific list is classified."
Hermione frowned. "Who are you keeping a secret for?"
If it was understandable that the boy followed Sechenov and kept the secret for the human camp before, but now his "father" is dead.
"My ownership still belongs to Dr. Sechenov, but my last instruction was to follow the wizard and obey Grindelwald and his men," Adam said honestly.
"Is there any connection between this and the Soviet Union?" the old man asked him with a sour face.
"There is a logical nesting relationship because my father belongs to the Supreme Soviet, so my position should be consistent with my father's." Adam seemed a bit inflexible.
"But your father has been killed by the Soviets. You should understand the deeper meaning of the last order he left you—to betray the Supreme Soviet and cooperate with the wizards," Hermione explained calmly.
"Is that so?" The boy looked at the two of them with an expression of artificial stupidity, tilting his head and trying to think.
After a while.
"So, the Soviet secrecy agreement is invalid against me?" Hermione was certain she saw a gleam of elation in the robot's eyes.
"To hell with the confidentiality agreement! You can tell us anything!"