I've Become the King of Villains in the Game-Chapter 415 - : 280

Chapter 415: 280

“Can you help me?”

Hoyle’s face showed confusion, his brows furrowed slightly.

As the second son steering the Simon family, he was well-travelled and well-versed, having encountered many smooth-talking swindlers. These people often threw out an appealing subject upon meeting, then lured you in with their eloquent speech.

The Simon family was second only to “Moses Far Voyage” in Peacock City, a commercial giant, and his father had taught him this knowledge since he was young.

Hoyle sized up the young man in front of him.

The man looked around his age, perhaps even younger, and his appearance was excessively handsome, with a distinguished air that surprised and even filled him with envy. His black outfit was stylish, especially the hat and the Silver Staff in his hands, which seemed tailor-made.

...

“He doesn’t look like a swindler or a salesman, but you can’t rule out the suspicion… After all, some swindlers are very skilled in makeup and disguise, specifically targeting the wealthy.”

Hoyle reminded himself internally.

“Yes, Mr. Hoyle.”

Chen Lun took off his hat and placed it against his chest, nodding slightly.

“I am the Leader of Jack Circus, you can call me Jack… With our joining, your Opera House might surpass ‘Tartar’ and ‘Golden Rum,’ becoming the number one Opera House in Peacock City. It might even rise a level in status, becoming famous in other cities as well.”

Hoyle didn’t speak, his furrowed brows deepening.

The mustachioed man beside him couldn’t help but snicker.

“Are you joking? If so, I must say you are quite humorous, sir.”

Chen Lun glanced at him, raising an eyebrow.

“And you are?”

“This is Mr. Corvey of our ‘City Garden,’ also the most outstanding magician in the Opera House. Many audience members come specifically for him.”

Hoyle introduced him.

Mustachioed Corvey, slightly proud, took off his hat and spun it in his hand, saying:

“Mr. Jack, you are truly not modest. Even the Royal City’s Royal Opera Troupe doesn’t have this big of an appetite… Ah-ha, surpass the other two Opera Houses? Even rise a level in status?”

With a flick of his hand, a white dove flew out of his hat, flapping its wings in a circle before returning to his shoulder.

After showing off his trick, Corvey displayed a look of disdain on his face.

His eyes held a hint of vigilance.

“It’s really uncertain what kind of capability your circus has, but when it comes to beast taming, we already have the ‘Selena Sisters.’ For comedy acts, there’s the ‘Little Elves,’ and for magic, there’s me… Although ‘City Garden’ is currently facing some insignificant troubles, this isn’t a place for any third-rate team to join, a place to freeload meals and drinks.”

Chen Lun felt the man’s hostility, and his heart understood instantly.

It was a kind of exclusion towards competitors, mixed with a bit of territoriality.

Hoyle, on the side, stayed silent for the moment, even though Corvey’s words were a bit unpleasant, they were also what he wanted to express.

“Mr. Jack, you must have come after seeing the recruitment advertisement, right?”

Hoyle pointed to the notice next to the entrance of the Opera House, where it was written that they were inviting performance troupes to join them, with excellent benefits and the like.

Chen Lun glanced in the direction pointed out, then withdrew his gaze.

He hadn’t really seen it.

“Could you tell me what ‘Jack Circus’ excels at? That way I can judge if there is a possibility for cooperation.”

Hoyle’s words were very tactful, but in fact, he was doubtful about this unfamiliar circus with no reputation that he had never heard of.

“Hmm… It seems there’s nothing in particular we specialize in,” Chen Lun pondered.

Corvey immediately revealed a sneering expression.

Hoyle was also somewhat disappointed.

As the Simon family’s second son, like his other siblings, he had inherited a share of the family’s business from his father, which was also a form of test.

Only by growing the business could one prove that they had the right to take over the “helm” from their father.

This was a straightforward method of assessment and also a cruel commercial challenge.

No matter whether it was through fair means or foul, as long as one could grow the business, it would prove to some extent that you were a remarkable leader in the business world.

At the time, choosing the “City Garden” Opera House as his “exam paper,” Hoyle had also included a bit of sentimentality because as a child, he often loved to go to his family’s Opera House to watch performances, and over time he fell in love with the place.

He considered the Opera House his second home.

But after taking over, Hoyle realized that “City Garden” was much more difficult to manage than he had imagined. Compared to the businesses of his siblings, it was much trickier to develop the Opera House, facing the biggest and most core issue – the on-site performance troupe.

No matter how exquisitely decorated and luxurious the Opera House was, how comfortable the seats were, or how much it was hyped, operated, and sold, what was ultimately presented to the audience was the performance on stage.

If the performance troupe’s strength wasn’t up to par and the shows weren’t spectacular enough, it would lead to a gradual decline in the Opera House’s reputation and its eventual demotion to a third-rate venue, ignored by all.

Hoyle aimed high, but reality was harsh.

As the older generation of actors and performing groups retired and the newly recruited pillars left, the “City Garden” was on the brink of falling from the ranks of the top three Opera Houses. If not for its past glory barely maintaining its reputation, it would have probably already become one of the third-rate venues.

Thus, Hoyle was extremely anxious and looking urgently for a troupe that could lead the Opera House back to glory.

At that moment, he noticed from the corner of his eye that the young man with the black hat had raised his head, displaying a smile:

“Don’t misunderstand, what I mean is, we’re good at everything, so there’s nothing in particular we specialize in.”

Hoyle couldn’t help but be stunned.

Corvey’s smile also stiffened.

Chen Lun raised his hand, and started whistling.

Whew—

The white dove perched on Corvey’s shoulder suddenly flew into his hand, then following the simple whistle melody, swayed left and right in his palm, dancing.

It even cooed, singing along with the tune.

Such a fairy-tale scene directly caused Hoyle’s mouth to open slightly, and Corvey, ignoring the dove’s “betrayal,” widened his eyes in astonishment.

“This… this…?!”

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But the next scene was even more shocking.

At the entrance of the Opera House, several Golden-winged Sparrows, Blue Tits, and an Owl flying at low altitude all heard the whistle and landed on the gentleman with the black hat, swaying along with the melody.

The sight simply dumbfounded the two of them.

“Ah, my apologies, although I am merely the Leader of the Circus and not a true performer, I do know a bit about the art of Beast Taming.”

Chen Lun said with a polite smile.

He then waved his hand, and the birds on him took off, circling above his head as if flocking around their master.

“This is just knowing a bit… about Beast Taming?!”

Hoyle’s voice trembled slightly.

As for Corvey and the short salesman next to him, they were already stunned into silence.

“Of course, there is much to master in Beast Taming, I am but an apprentice who has barely glimpsed the threshold…”

Chen Lun’s tone was gentle, his posture extremely humble.

He then seemed to remember something.

“Oh, that’s right, I also know a little bit of Magic.”

With a light stretch and flick of the Silver Staff in his hand, he hooked over Mr. Corvey’s hat and then snapped his fingers.

Snap!

A dove fluttered out of the hat, mimicking Corvey’s magic trick perfectly.

But unlike his act, another dove immediately followed, and then a third, a fourth, a fifth…

Doves flew out as if escaping a cage, more and more of them. That utterly ordinary hat seemed like a bottomless pit.

In the gaze of Hoyle and Corvey, dozens upon dozens of White Feathers, a blinding white swath, completely filled the half-sky above the Opera House entrance.

“This… this is incredible! This can’t be called Magic, this is simply Magic!”

Like a child, Hoyle jumped on the spot, his face flushed with excitement.

He cheered, looking up at the pigeons in the sky.

Corvey stepped back in shock, nearly falling to the ground.

“This is impossible! What kind of technique is this?! How can so many doves be hidden in a hat, is it from your sleeve… No, that’s not possible either! How did you do it?! How exactly did you do it?!”

This scene completely shattered Corvey’s worldview, destroyed all the magic techniques he knew, and even filled him with a sense of inferiority and self- disgust. It was as though his decades of painstaking skill and study were a joke in the face of true Magic.

Suddenly.

The circling White Feathers and other birds dropped countless feathers and bird droppings.

They fell precisely on Corvey, immediately drenching him into a stinking poo-man.

“Ugh! Vomit…!”

Corvey knelt on the ground, throwing up all the sandwiches and milk he had for breakfast.

Hoyle and the short salesman jumped back in shock, avoiding the “poo-man” and covering their noses with a look of disgust.

“Oh my Sun, Mr. Corvey, you smell worse than my grandmother’s feet.”

The short salesman said through his pinched nose in a nasally voice.

“You shut… Ugh! Ugh!!”

Corvey was shocked, angry, and upset, trying to speak but only tasting the remnants of his food.

He felt as if his entire stomach was being vomited out.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t expect these little fellows to be so naughty; they must have eaten something bad,” Chen Lun said apologetically.

He snapped his fingers again.

Snap!

The pigeons in the sky disappeared, transforming into poker cards that rained down, scattering all over the place.

The series of events that had occurred drew the attention of countless passersby, who began to gather around out of curiosity.

Around them was silence for several seconds.

Then, enthusiastic applause broke out.

Clapping…

“Mr. Jack, please come with me! There are too many people out here… let’s discuss details in my office, rest assured, I will give you a satisfactory contract!”

Hoyle’s bright eyes were fixed on Chen Lun.

His nervous and eager tone even carried a bit of pleading.

“Please join ‘City Garden’, I implore you…”

Hoyle knew that the young Leader before him was the very person he had been searching for, and only such an outstanding individual could save the theater and lead it to glory.

“Of course, I would like to sit down and rest too, the rented carriage’s seats are too hard,” Chen Lun said, shrugging.

“Please come in, Mr. Jack, please…”

Hoyle was exceedingly eager, the weariness and dark circles under his eyes seemed to vanish in an instant, leaving only vitality and hope.

As the two of them entered the theater, Corvey, completely ignored, was still on the ground, continuing to vomit.

The short salesman, struggling to contain his laughter, also hurried after them into the theater.

“Damn it!”

Corvey wiped away his tears, aggrieved by the foul stench, and gritted his teeth in anger.