"Actually, there's no real grudge between us, is there?"

"Is that so?"

Ethan retorted.

"It was Lewis who kept coming after you. Honestly, I didn't like him either, and now that he's dead, all those problems are gone," Albertine said casually, as if Lewis wasn't actually with the Prohibition Bureau.

"What about the alcohol? Aren't you enforcing prohibition anymore?"

"Ethan, you've misunderstood one thing. The Prohibition is never about completely banning all alcohol. What we want is relative prohibition. The question is how to achieve that. We need someone who can unite us all and work with us, but right now... it's not possible."

Albertine wiped the glass with his hand, clearing a corner, and pointed outside. In the distance, there was the ocean.

At the ocean's end was that solitary castle.

"Your underworld saint, Sandro, refuses to cooperate with us."

"So what are you suggesting?"

"We want you to become the new underworld saint," Albertine turned his head again, looking at Ethan with intense eyes.

"Why me?"

"It's simple. Because you're young enough, your abilities are obvious, you leave us helpless, and Sandro is already old. He hasn't left his castle in ten years. Their generation's thinking can't keep up with today's world. The world belongs to the young, it belongs to you. We'll fully support you. All you need to do is control the alcohol within the range we need. What do you say?"

Albertine spoke with enough sincerity and earnestness, his expression extremely serious.

Finally, he extended his hand, as if to say, come, embrace the new world.

Ethan had been smoking all the while, the cigarette glowing and dimming at his lips.

Until the cigarette was finished, he crushed the butt into the ashtray.

Then he walked to the door.

"Dear Agent Albertine, thank you for your story, it's quite sobering and interesting. Rest assured, I'll leave this story in this smoking room, just between us. Lastly, have a pleasant evening."

After speaking, he walked out without turning back.

And Albertine watched the rolling sea outside the window, lost in thought.

-----------------------------

Ten o'clock in the evening.

Albertine returned to the Prohibition Bureau headquarters.

Marvin was smoking in the large conference room.

"How did it go?"

"He's indeed a tough one to manipulate," Albertine shook his head, but his expression wasn't too disappointed.

Marvin smiled knowingly.

"We must hurry. If we give him more time, this guy will truly become someone of status."

The two of them talked for a while longer. Albertine was about to leave when the phone on the table rang.

Marvin answered it, and after a few words, his previously relaxed expression vanished, replaced by seriousness and gravity.

"Bring him to the conference room to see me immediately."

"What's going on?" Albertine paused.

"It's not good news," Marvin shook his head and said no more.

After a while, the conference room door was pushed open. Two Prohibition Agents dragged in a tall man, weathered and frostbitten.

From the man's attire, he was also a Prohibition Agent.

But for some unknown reason, as soon as this man entered, the room was filled with an icy and foul smell.

The man seemed to have been unconscious earlier, but now managed to open his eyes, looking at Marvin with a slight smile, and said with difficulty, "Marvin, it's so good to see you."

"Groot, what happened? Weren't you in Saint Kuanti? How did you end up like this?"

Marvin quickly walked up and grabbed the tall man's hand.

"Saint Kuanti... it's over. The specifics are all in here."

The man called Groot said, trembling as he pulled out a black leather book from his snow-covered coat, but he couldn't hold it steady, and it fell to the ground.

Albertine picked it up and started paging through it.

Marvin didn't stop him; he continued to examine Groot's condition. Groot was covered in frost and snow, without obvious wounds, yet Marvin felt Groot's life force rapidly diminishing.

It seemed he was cursed with something.

"Quickly bring medicine, life elixir, anything that can save a life. What are you standing around for?!"

Marvin roared fiercely.

He rarely lost composure like this, only because Groot was a friend of many years.

They had worked together at the Kingdom Defense Bureau, executing many secret missions together.

You could say they were comrades who shared life and death.

After the Prohibition Order, he and Groot were sent north, one to oversee prohibition in Wenster, the other in Saint Kuanti.

They had even planned to find time to drink together.

Unexpectedly...

"It's too late, Marvin, I'm doomed."

Groot shook his head at Marvin, indicating him not to bother.

"What I'm about to say, you must remember."

"Speak."

"First, an A-level contamination event has occurred in Saint Kuanti. The situation is completely out of control. You must report it to the Royal Capital immediately. Second, stop anyone coming from Saint Kuanti. My body must be dealt with promptly. Third, I suspect, behind this contamination, is... is..."

"Uh... uh! Ah!"

At this point, Groot suddenly convulsed, then with great strength, flung Marvin and another agent away.

He fell to the ground, twisting, and then began to vomit violently, but what he vomited was neither blood nor stomach contents, but a large pile of black, fish scale-like things.

He continued to twist and struggle on the ground, screaming in agony.

Finally, his entire body stiffened, rapidly turning black, freezing, becoming a black ice sculpture.

Closer inspection revealed his blackened body was due to the growth of black scales.

The icy and rancid smell in the air became even more intense.

"Groot..."

Marvin painfully closed his eyes, then reached for the phone to dial.

But at that moment, Albertine pressed the phone down.

"What are you doing?" Marvin glared at him.

"Chief, I think... you should look at this first." Albertine handed the black leather book to Marvin.

"I think this is a great opportunity to break the situation."

Marvin took the book, studied it for a while, and asked, "What do you want to do?"

Albertine didn't answer; instead, he stared at Groot's body on the floor, the lighthouse's light outside shining in again, reflecting an icy gleam in his glasses.

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