Shadows of Destiny: A Tale of Liberation

Chapter 558

It was one in the morning. Everything was quiet and peaceful everywhere else, but here at Water Dock, things had

only just warmed up. It was the most chaotic time of the day, when all kinds of colorful characters began to show

up.

Renee had come to Water Dock on her own, with nothing but a ‘top-secret" map of the area that she bought at a

high price from the second-hand market. She headed straight to Carmine Pawnshop.

Water Dock had indeed lived up to its reputation. It was every bit as much of the lawless, "no man's land" it was

rumored to be, where burning, looting, robbing, and killing took place at almost every corner. Anything that was too

sickening to be found in civilized society was nothing but a normal occurrence here. It was truly a dreadful place to

be.

The whole area of Water Dock was actually not that large, but it was divided into three main zones-upstream,

midstream, and downstream.

The upstream area was at the outermost edge. It was relatively the most" normal" zone here, where a trading

center was located. Here you could find all kinds of goods, and if you looked hard enough, you might even leave

with a good deal in your hands. It was certainly the safest area in the Water Dock.

Things began to stray off the beaten track in the Midstream zone. Here you would find illegal casinos, illegal

racetracks, illegal brothels, and an illegal marketplace for all kinds of shady goods. This was also a place where you

could find groups of thugs and ruffians who had no fear of death. They would do anything for you as long as you

agree to their price.

Unsurprisingly, people get killed here every day.

The downstream area, however, was basically purgatory on Earth. Danger lurked in every corner and most normal

people would never dare get close to it, let alone set foot there. It was just as Liam had described-even the devil

himself might get conned out of the clothes on his back here.

Yet here was the place where Carmine Pawnshop was located, in the deepest bowel of the downstream zone in

Water Dock. It was right in the center of an absolute hellscape, and just from this fact alone, one could guess what

kind of man Mr. Q, the owner of Carmine Pawnshop, really was. You would have to go through an ordeal just to

meet him!

If Renee was not so desperate to get the money, she would've never even imagined having anything to do with

such a shady guy. But she was not afraid of him in the least. After all, she used to be an infamous figure herself

back when she was still in the circle. She had been to many godforsaken places that were a thousand times more

accursed than Water Dock, so she was perfectly in her element in this kind of place.

But she had two children to think of now. This made her a lot more cautious than she was in the past. Back then,

she would dive headlong into anything without a care for the consequences. The very thought about how reckless

she used to be made her shudder!

It was still early, so Renee parked her car in a parking lot in the upstream zone with a plan to go to the famous

antique market first.

The antique market was located in the upstream zone. It also acted as the entrance to Water Dock. Because of its

special location, many rare treasures from all around the world were smuggled and sold. Countless people have

made their fortune here, but just as many had their life ended here as well because of their greed.

The antique market dazzled with lights and bustled with activity. Traders and peddlers were shouting, advertising

their wares to the rest of the market which was filled with a flurry of people.

"Come and take a look! This is a genuine glass urn from Ulria! It's the only one of its kind in the whole world! It's a

once-in-a-lifetime deal! Don't miss out on a great deal..."

"Feast your eyes, ladies and gentlemen! These are sacred stone beads from the Western Highlands! Legend has it

that these were blessed by angels! These are only meant for those who are destined to have them!"

II It

Renee was both fascinated and overwhelmed by the sight of rare treasures all around her as she strolled through

the market. Never would she have guessed that there would be such an exciting "treasure trove" right here in

Beach City, where one could buy whatever their heart desired.

She then came across a smaller stall attended by an old man with a gray beard and dark skin who was engrossed

in playing his fiddle. His stall was relatively simple and somewhat shabby compared to the others around it,

consisting only of a table covered by a coarse linen cloth where a few pieces of jade, ancient paintings, ceramics,

and other knick knacks were lined up on. It was hard to tell where these objects came from, but they seemed to

have been dug out of old tombs and graves.

What caught Renee's eye the most was the stack of cards right next to these treasures. She looked closer and

realized that they were tarot cards. This inexplicably piqued her interest, so much that she asked, "Are you good at

predicting the future, old man?"

But the old man did not even open his eyes. He was lost in his music, passionately pouring his heart out to the song

he was playing on his fiddle. Renee thought the song he played was familiar. She thought it sounded rather like a

song called "Destiny".

Seeing that the old man was so absorbed in the music, Renee thought it best not to disturb him, so she was

prepared to leave.

Just then, the old man finally finished playing his song and stopped her," Where are you going, young lady? I've

been waiting for you for so many years. The person I was destined to meet is finally here."

"You've been waiting for me?" Renee asked. She was even more fascinated now. With a smile, she asked, "Do you

know me?"

"You can put it that way."

"Then tell me, who am I?"

Renee waited eagerly for the old man's answer with a playful smile on her face. She had heard of swindlers and

conmen who could tell someone's fortune by just randomly picking a name-statistically, there would come a time

when they'd get it right.

That was why she absolutely did not believe that this old man could guess her real name. After all, her last name

was pretty rare and her first name was not a common one either