As Fang Senyan looked around like a country bumpkin for quite some time, only confirming there would be no further charges, he finally passed through the second silver gate and entered a vast marble hall. This hall was supported by perhaps a dozen thick, massive marble pillars, appearing incredibly luxurious and high-end. Occasionally, an eye would appear on a pillar, secretly blinking before vanishing; anyone daring to commit theft here would obviously be caught red-handed.

About a hundred or so goblins sat behind long counters made of beechwood, awaiting customers. Since there were practically no clients at the moment, some were eating biscuits shaped like animals, others were using magnifying glasses to examine flaws in gems, and still others were listlessly flicking the scales in front of them with their fingers. These green-skinned little fellows all possessed an inherent shrewdness in their eyes.

Fang Senyan's objective for this trip was to find the manager of Gringotts, whose name was Infinite Lang. Fortunately, to mark his unique identity, this individual had specifically dressed in a red tailcoat paired with a green bowtie, sitting in a conspicuous spot, and sporting a very proud mustache. Considering he would have to deal with this fellow for a long time, and primarily due to his own pitiful few points in charm, Fang Senyan used his 'Insight' ability on this goblin.

Infinite Lang Goblin race. Height 3 feet 2 inches, Weight 33 kilograms Strength ??? Agility ??? Stamina ??? Perception ??? Charm ??? Intelligence 50 points Spirit ??? Base Attributes ??? Abilities ??? Description: Goblins are greedy and clever creatures; they are motivated purely by profit, yet most of them adhere strictly to agreements. They possess exceptional minds for commerce and mechanics; as long as money is offered, they will serve anyone. Some gifted goblins can even master certain high-level arcane abilities, though they usually employ such skills to protect their wealth. It is noteworthy that goblins are among the few races in the Nightmare World whose basic attribute of 'Charm' has no effect. The only thing that can influence their senses and affinity is one thing: money.

As Fang Senyan read this series of introductions, a feeling of pleasant surprise welled up inside him. It seemed things weren't entirely bad. The main reason other Contractors were unwilling to deal with these goblins was likely not just the high cost, but perhaps because their Charm stats were ineffective, thus precluding any extra benefits. However, what did that matter to someone like him, whose Charm was far below average? If it was ineffective, it was ineffective. At worst, he’d just pay the standard price!

"Mr. Infinite, I apologize for the interruption," Fang Senyan approached the goblin politely. However, this Mr. Infinite seemed entirely uninterested in acknowledging him.

Fang Senyan was prepared: "This is a letter of introduction given to me by Mr. Isis at the entrance."

Infinite lifted his green eyelids from behind the writing desk and continued with his quill: "Come back at seven fifty-nine and six seconds tomorrow morning. Oh! By the gold, no one who is late ever earns respect." Then, in front of Fang Senyan, Infinite tossed the letter of introduction into the nearby waste bin. Fang Senyan sighed helplessly, but immediately, in a style of self-comforting logic, he pictured those high-Charm individuals getting snubbed by the goblin gentleman, and instantly felt refreshed, invigorated, and his mood brightened immensely. So, he promptly took out another "letter of recommendation" he had prepared.

"Time is money, Mr. Infinite, I have always believed that. Therefore, for the time I have just taken up, I wish to compensate you with the most tangible action."

"Compensation?" Infinite's two long, pointed ears twitched upon hearing these words. Fang Senyan could clearly see the fine hairs on the ears of this high-ranking goblin stiffen.

"Yes, this is my sincere compensation." Fang Senyan presented a ten-pound banknote.

Mr. Infinite's expression finally softened slightly, but he continued tending to his own affairs without speaking much. Fang Senyan gritted his teeth and pushed forward a fifty-pound note (Note: 50 pounds was the largest denomination of currency in Britain at the time, much like the 100 Yuan note is the largest circulating denomination in China currently).

This action yielded immediate results. Infinite instantly broke into a broad smile, walked over, and poured a glass of water from a nearby disposable paper cup. Although Fang Senyan was a bit thirsty, looking at the disposable cup that had likely served many others and the murky liquid within, he resolutely chose to ignore it. Yet, he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride internally: even a tough guy with 31 Stamina was finally getting the treatment reserved for someone with 31 Charm!

"Time is money! My friend, those words resonate deep within my core! Since our relationship is so close and friendly, I shall not conceal anything. Something has indeed been troubling me lately—my skin is losing its color!"

At this, Infinite waved his hands excitedly: "Heavens above, I swear by the gold, I have never experienced such a thing! From infancy through adolescence to adulthood, my skin has always maintained a healthy green hue. Dear Martha was utterly captivated by my complexion! But now, my skin is showing noticeable fading. This means the envy of others, jealousy, and perhaps even romantic opportunities will slip away from me! So lately, I’ve had to grit my teeth and spend three shillings consulting my father about this issue..."

Pausing here, the esteemed Mr. Infinite glanced around furtively and lowered his voice: "He told me that the livers of strong Centaurs might be of some use. But they must be fresh! Absolutely steaming, with the blood still uncoagulated!"

Fang Senyan happened to have encountered information about Centaurs during his wanderings that afternoon, along with some relevant regulations, and immediately voiced his difficulty: "But, Mr. Infinite, though my knowledge is shallow, I have heard that Centaurs seem to be under the protection of the Ministry."

Infinite squinted his eyes conspiratorially: "My friend, the purpose of rules is that they are meant to be broken."

Fang Senyan carefully reviewed the intelligence and clues provided by the Symbiotic Society. Apparently, because everyone was unwilling to deal with this incredibly greedy goblin, the information and mission details concerning Mr. Infinite were the most rudimentary. Consequently, there was no clear or detailed data regarding the mission he had just received. However, Fang Senyan was highly adaptable: "Very well, Mr. Infinite, given our friendship, I will certainly help you. But by the gold above, I cannot be expected to search the entire Kingdom of Great Britain for this damned creature. Beyond that, even for the sake of restoring your skin to that enchanting green as quickly as possible, I should receive some detailed information about this monster."

Infinite's mouth stretched into a grin. He was delighted to see his interests being prioritized, but his left thumb and forefinger began their habitual rubbing motion. Fang Senyan cursed under his breath, knowing he couldn't catch the wolf without sacrificing the bait. He promptly pulled out all the remaining ordinary British pounds he had and stuffed them into Infinite’s hand—after all, someone in the team was willing to exchange World-specific British pounds for Universal Points.

Undoubtedly, Fang Senyan's action once again won him a great deal of favor from Infinite. This creature, which completely ignored 'Charm,' even actively pulled over a stool for Fang Senyan to sit on, its face nearly splitting into a brilliant smile. In an even quieter voice, it said: "You will find what you seek at Number Thirteen, Knockturn Alley. They will ask for a password; reply with 'Shining Gold Coin'."

Knockturn Alley? Fang Senyan had indeed visited there before, as one of the four major shops required for the Enthusiast quest—Borgin and Burkes—was located within. It was a haunt for dark wizards, where shriveled heads, giant black spiders, snakes, withered human hands, and bones were common merchandise. However, it was also rife with crudely made inferior goods and fakes. One unlucky member of the team had once paid a high price for a wand claimed to boost spell power by 100%, only to find it was just an ordinary baton...

But Fang Senyan remembered clearly that because Europeans have a strong superstition against the number thirteen, even in a place crawling with dark wizards like Knockturn Alley, there seemed to be no Number Thirteen. However, judging by Infinite's certain expression, and considering goblins, though famous for their greed, were remarkably trustworthy when money was involved, Fang Senyan headed straight for Knockturn Alley after leaving Gringotts.

Knockturn Alley was already desolate during the day, and even more deserted after nightfall. With only a few faint green lights twinkling like fireflies, accompanied by occasional hacking coughs and the cries of night owls, it felt almost like being in a graveyard. Fang Senyan, usually bold, felt a knot of apprehension as he walked here—this world truly contained ghosts and specters. After navigating without incident to the end of Knockturn Alley, he found that Shop Number 12 was a place dealing in human bone combs and fiddles. The door was shut tight, with only a skeletal hand on the doorknob shaking a sign that read "L," and right next to it was an empty patch of ground—where was Number 13?

In the public version of this book: a technical post by the enthusiastic reader Liu Qingyao has been updated in the 'Works Related' section, which offers a relatively comprehensive analysis. Readers who have time might wish to take a look.