Rita Skeeter's shorthand quill is quite special.
It can automatically transform simple scenes and dialogues into a florid transcript full of exaggerated rhetoric and unrealistic metaphors.
Therefore, Vid found that what Rita had taken out was not just a few pages of intelligence but a thick notebook, filled to the brim with elegant and smooth writing from the quill.
Vid casually flipped open a page, and saw written—
[Poor Dar had no idea that when he thought his mission would be fulfilled, those he considered brothers were eagerly preparing to stab him in the back.]
[His silhouette was lonely and desolate, a salty wind blowing on the sea — those were tears he was forbidden to shed… In a desperate situation, Dar did not sink, but continued to serve as the final line of defense…]
[This admirable man has not given up… But even if he could leave this treacherous ship, the scars in his heart would forever remain, becoming an unshakeable shadow for the rest of his life… Who can he still trust? He will trust no one…]
Vid lifted his eyes, glanced at Skeeter who was appreciating her words, took a deep breath, skipped over the excess descriptions, and skimmed through it.
Rita Skeeter had a habit that was difficult to judge whether it warranted praise — although her articles were filled with exaggerated descriptions and misleading speculations, they were certainly based on some factual foundation.
Just like when she wanted to slander Hermione, instead of randomly fabricating the opinion of "some student," she went to interview those like Parkinson who disliked Hermione, then performed a "Skeeter-style" embellishment on their words.
Thus, Vid extracted the essence and finally understood what had happened.
Thick-browed Dar was the temporary leader, appearing most loyal to that leader, and dedicated to the mission, prompting the others not to slack off.
However, among the three subordinates he brought on board this time, two had their own agendas.
Little Moustache Garo had a fight with Pockmarked Driver Lars, then took advantage of the driver sleeping to retrieve a secretly stashed phone and sent out a message.
Skeeter Beetle perched on the car window side, unable to see what Little Moustache was typing in the message. But just looking at his sneaky manner, it was clear the kid was no good.
Later, the two went to eat, with Thick-browed Dar and Stubble-beard Donovan guarding the car.
Stubble-beard excused himself to the restroom, then hid in a corner and made several calls.
This time, the beetle stalked to the restroom, crouching on the partition above, listening clearly to all his call content.
Simply put, Stubble-beard treated the captured alchemist as a rare commodity, selling the news to multiple parties, profiting greatly, and subtly encouraging them to compete.
And the forces he or Little Moustache contacted might be on this ship now.
"I heard this voice during his call, which led me to gather intelligence here, certainly not slacking off."
Skeeter defended.
"Did you find the person they were contacting?" Vid asked.
Skeeter shook her head regretfully: "No... Maybe by the time I came up, that person had already left."
Vid mused for a moment, saying, "I just saw the Gringotts family..."
"Oh, they came with Umbridge— the Ministry of Magic sponsored a trip, and everyone who could came, there were over a dozen people!"
Skeeter said disdainfully yet enviously, then bit her nail, pondering:
"Yes, I can write it down — 'Shocking Insider on Tax Haven! How Ministry of Magic's Officials Devour Government Property? How many unknown secrets are involved?'"
She put the tip of the shorthand quill into her mouth, savoring it for a while, then the peacock green quill "swooshed" upright, swiftly leaving lines of text on the parchment, soon filling over half a page.
Vid glanced at the time, it was about right, he drank a mouthful of Polyjuice Potion, then asked:
"Is it still Thick-browed and Stubble-beard at the truck?"
The quill suddenly stopped, standing on the parchment as if awaiting commands.
"Yes, that's right." Skeeter said.
"I'll head to the truck, you find the other two, if convenient, see who else is watching the lower-level parking lot— be careful."
"Alright."
Skeeter waved her hand, watching the middle-aged wizard who appeared to be in his thirties leave.
The quill began to move stealthily—
[Vid Gray is a terrifying young man, with acting talents beyond his age. When he decides to disguise, no one can see through him...]
[Of course, resembling another's appearance is nothing, anyone who can buy Polyjuice Potion can easily become anyone. But when Vid Gray transforms, no one can guess, a thirteen-year-old soul is hidden inside that body...]
[The author personally witnessed this transformation process, seeing when he "became" an adult, the eyes naturally harbored an understanding and insight into life, wisdom that only years could impart.]
[The author could not help but feel curious and thrilled— Vid Gray, so adept at impersonating others, is he really just a simple student? How many times has he, under the guise of another, performed unimaginable deeds?]
[The author decides to delve deeper, observing what dark side a publicly acclaimed genius youth possesses, listening to facts concealed by some "great savior"… The author is well aware of the dangers and difficulties involved but decides to embark on this challenging path to uncover the truth…]
"Snap!"
The notebook was closed and then stuffed into the deepest part of the handbag.
Rita Skeeter looked at herself in the mirror, lovingly touched the sparkling gem ring on her finger, and set off to find the people Vid was searching for.
To uncover secrets, first you need to gain trust.
This time, the targets Rita Skeeter aimed to interview differed from those gullible ones who succumbed to a cup of tea spiked with Veritaserum, but she was more determined nonetheless.
— I am a patient hunter!
The woman thought proudly to herself.
…
The wizard "Vener's" figure gradually disappeared from the air shortly after stepping out of the elevator.
Thankful there was less surveillance on this ship than Vid had imagined.
Yet the further he walked down, the heavier his mood became.
The lower levels of the ship housed the crew quarters, cargo hold, parking lot, and areas for power supply, heating and cooling systems, maintenance, and alike.
Normally, tourists only move on higher floors, seldom descending, except for ship staff in those zones.
But now, as Vid descended, he saw many differently dressed tourists, crowding to the point it seemed a bit congested.