《Witch, Fireball and the Evil God of Steam》


 Chapter 1: Do 1 Good Deed a Day

    Chapter 1 - 1: Do 1 Good Deed a Day"Your Fireball Skill proficiency has reached full mastery."


    The last flicker of flame extinguished, and the gray-haired young man sitting at the table finally showed a comforting smile.


    This was Ethan''s second year in this world. For these two years, he had been doing the same thing¡ªpracticing the Fireball Skill.


    4,015 prayers, 16,060 spells cast, finally bringing the Fireball Skill proficiency to the perfect level.


    But soon, Ethan''s smile faded.


    Now, compared to others, he was just slightly more proficient in this most basic of magic, the Fireball Skill.


    Outside this window, the revived Ancient Gods, the newly ascended gods, and their powerful followers¡ªhe didn''t want to be entangled with these insane beings.


    This world is fraught with danger, and the road ahead is long.


    Ethan lit the gas lamp in the room, and the desk was piled with documents, with a notice from the guild issued a few days ago on top.


    "Bounty Target: Werewolf, Estimated Danger Level: Tier 1"


    The commission was issued by Lady Royce in the town. A few days ago, her husband went hunting with a shotgun and never returned. When the guild organized a search in the mountains, they found half of her husband''s eaten body, with the chest cavity cut open and the heart swallowed by the attacker.


    All signs indicated that the culprit was a werewolf, a byproduct of creatures who failed to ascend while worshiping the Hunting Goddess, reduced to mindless monsters feeding on hearts.


    The reward notice was written by Ethan, who was the scribe for the town guild. His job involved recording abnormal cases in the town, posting commission bounties, and recording the progress of completed commissions. Although the work was tedious, he could access cases involving abnormalities without leaving his home and stay informed about the movements in the town and even along the borders. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, today, Ethan''s work had a significant oversight.


    The reason lay in that red moon outside the window. The moon had a pupil, rotating occasionally like a giant eye.


    Ethan flipped open an old parchment book on the desk, found the corresponding Chapter through the table of contents.


    "Blood Moon Ritual."


    He skipped the narrative descriptions and found the key section. The book mentioned that under the influence of the Blood Moon, evil, aberrant creatures'' powers would be greatly enhanced, manifesting in werewolves as heightened perception, increased strength, faster speed, and unparalleled regenerative abilities.


    The Blood Moon would also amplify humans'' negative emotions, causing them to lose judgment under fear, anger, and greed.


    In simple terms, this was a massive enhancement for dark creatures while weakening humans¡ªa battlefield buff.


    Three experienced hunters took on the commission, and the guild awarded them Tier 1 medals. It was originally a surefire hunt, but everything changed due to the sudden anomaly.


    Ethan was deeply anxious inside.


    As everyone knows, werewolves are gregarious dark creatures.


    So the question arises, why was a lone wolf wandering in the mountains outside the town, and why did it suddenly attack people in town?


    Who kept releasing the Fireball Skill into the mountains late at night, and why did his skill proficiency always inexplicably increase by a small segment?


    At this moment, the red moon outside seemed to scrutinize the suspect under the gas lamp like a famous detective, Mr. Sen.


    Even nature was pitying the lonely werewolf in the mountains. Ethan could imagine that it was once a carefree young wolf living in blissful isolation in the wilderness, having a large pack where every wolf was gentle and friendly.


    Until one day, several fireballs streaked across the starry sky, hitting them on the head.


    The residents of Ximu Town knew that someone had released more than ten thousand Fireball Skills into the deep mountains over the past two years, causing two forest fires in the process. Every number representing proficiency reeked of sin.


    The eerie red moon affected Ethan. Whenever he closed his eyes, he could foresee the fate of the three hunters.


    A rustling sound echoed in his ear, and his vision swayed violently, seemingly as one of the three hunters was panicking through the forest, his pierced right leg making it impossible to take large steps, enduring intense pain with each move.


    The sound of pursuit followed close behind, the high-speed moving shadow traversing the bushes, leaping onto a branch.


    The hunter looked up and saw the shadow gliding past him. When the nearly three-meter-tall monster leapt down from above, a dismembered arm fell in front of him.


    It looked like a female''s arm, bearing the guild''s mark.


    The hunter fell to the ground in terror, screaming and retreating with hands and feet, but the massive body lightly pounced onto him.


    Screams were drowned out by the sound of breaking bones, the hunter''s chest was torn open by sharp claws, revealing a still-throbbing heart. The monster reveled in delight, tearing out the heart, swallowing it in one bite.


    "Hiss¡ª!"


    Empathetically, Ethan took a sharp breath, experiencing the hunter''s fear of death, as well as the werewolf''s melancholy and rage.


    No werewolf wanted to be a lone wolf; it should have hunted with the pack, filling the whole valley with joy.


    This can''t go on!


    Ethan''s heart was gradually overwhelmed by guilt. Since all of this was caused by his Fireball Skill, it was only fitting for the Fireball Skill to end it. He decided to use the warmth of the Fireball Skill to soothe the lone wolf''s inner wounds.


    In this way, they could all find peace.


    With this in mind, Ethan began his 4,016th prayer.


    Accompanied by a devout prayer, a shooting star streaked across the distant night sky, and the rolling flames set the blood-stained sky ablaze, making the town look as if it was daytime.


    Ethan had heard from the townsfolk that shooting stars represent hope. The shooting star in the night sky grew closer, finally crashing onto the mountaintop like a fallen sun.


    Unfortunately, he was too inexperienced to truly transform the Fireball Skill into the appearance of a shooting star, but he believed the lone wolf in the forest saw it.


    Then, just like in fairy tales, the young wolf would see its gentle, loving grandmother in this strong radiance. The grandmother would pick it up, holding it tight, and take it to a world without cold, hunger, or pain.


    This was the story of "The Little Werewolf Who Bought Fireballs."


    Ethan felt a little solace from it, looking up at the blood moon high in the night sky, knowing clearly that even the blood moon approved of his actions, closing its eyes, no longer casting a cold gaze upon him.


    Another good deed done today.


    "Helping the lost child reunite with its family."


    Ethan lowered his head and wrote this good deed in the book.


    Then he turned off the gas lamp and closed the notebook.


    "The Good Samaritan Record of Ximu Town."


    The cover of the notebook vaguely bore this title.

 Chapter 2: Fireball, Ice Arrow, and Magic Power Studies

    Chapter 2 - 2: Fireball, Ice Arrow, and Magic Power StudiesEthan had a good night''s sleep, and when he woke up the next day, the red moon had disappeared.


    Even the Divine Spirit was moved by his good deeds.


    He fished out a leather-bound book from under his pillow, titled "The Study of Fireball and Ice Arrows'' Magic Power," which was his daily required reading.


    Read, practice, comprehend.


    The leather book only documented the simplest elemental magic, beneficial for someone like him who had never been exposed to elemental magic to understand.


    Today, he could finally advance to the next stage of his training.


    When he first arrived in this world, Ethan once had ambitious dreams, fantasizing about reaching the pinnacle of life like the protagonists in the transmigration novels, but reality dealt him a heavy blow once again.


    He realized that his talent for magic was not ideal.


    From when he first started reading "The Study of Fireball and Ice Arrows'' Magic Power" to the first time he gathered a spark, it took him a whole week, and raising his proficiency to the max level took two years; the only good news is that he''s still young enough that when he masters the whole book, he''ll just be in his early thirties.


    An ordinary elemental mage, wielding just enough power for self-defense, this was Ethan''s vision for the future, which he called his first ten-year plan.


    There''s nothing wrong with being ordinary.


    Ethan turned to the page after the Fireball Skill in the leather book, leaning against the bed as he read with keen interest.


    The leather book mentioned that the scorching heat of fire elements could effectively restrain dark creatures, yet in this world, where the legal system was incomplete, the Evil God''s followers ran rampant, and high nobility could easily decide the fate of the lower people, dealing with people was inevitable. The author of the leather book mentioned that ice elements were particularly suitable for resolving disputes between people.


    Ethan''s goal was to become a hexagonal warrior without weak spots, even a mini-hexagon was still a hexagon.


    "Ice Arrows - From Beginner to Expert."


    The author was the renowned Mr. Anonymous, who proposed an interesting view in the book, suggesting that the resonance between magic power and elements comes from ''emotions''. The more distinct and intense the emotion, the easier it is to gain the elements'' resonance. Compared to himself two years ago, Ethan now counted as an adept; through continuous practice of the Fireball Skill, he had vaguely grasped the essence of emotions.


    The author believed that the essence of fire elements corresponded with brilliance; they preferred ambitious people.


    This was not easy for Ethan, because he couldn''t immediately think of his highlight moments in life. When Ethan racked his brains, tracing back to a time in middle school where he ranked in the top five in a test, he was coldly rejected by the fire elements.


    In contrast, ice elements were the opposite of fire elements; the author believed their essence corresponded with pain and low points.


    Ethan felt this was probably the main reason one could only practice one magic skill at a time; the elements themselves possessed emotions and consciousness, and practicing multiple spells at once would mark him as a player to them, unable to achieve the effect of "riding two horses with one butt."


    He closed his eyes, feeling the magic power coursing through his body.


    Now, he needed to revisit the coldest moments of his life.


    Compared to practicing the Fireball Skill, segments of memories immediately surfaced before his eyes.


    Was it when he accidentally fell into the river while playing by the riverside as a child, or when someone pushed him into a snow pile while shoveling snow on duty?


    No, those weren''t it.


    Ethan almost instantly filtered out the coldest moment from those fragments of memory; it was the tail end of summer, when at a friend''s insistence, he invested all the hard-earned money he saved up over several years of work into the stock market.


    "You only have one chance to place a bet in life."


    He could still hear that devilish whisper, fantasizing he was just one step away from financial freedom, no longer having to suffer his boss''s whims from then on.


    Ethan imagined himself wandering aimlessly down the bustling streets; despite the twenty-something-degree weather, he felt so cold he was shivering, wanting to climb the city''s tallest building and fall with the evening breeze.


    When he opened his eyes again, he exhaled deeply. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thin frost spread from the bed to the window, forming a layer of ice flowers on it, the chill gathered into a mass in his palm placed on his chest; at this moment, his emotions resonated with the ice elements.


    "It''s over now; it will get better."


    The ice elements seemed to comfort him, and if they had hands, they might have patted him on the shoulder.


    And his skill bar now had a new skill.


    "Ice Arrow (Beginner): Proficiency: 1/45"


    Ethan stared long at the ice element swirling in his palm; he thought he should be happy.


    After all, he learned Ice Arrow with just one meditation, established a close mental connection with the ice elements, and even received their solace.


    Yet he couldn''t even muster a smile.


    Could it be that a hapless person like him was naturally an Ice Mage?


    Though it was a joyous occasion, the voice filled with humanistic concern seemed to pierce his long-sealed heart.


    "Knock, knock, knock, knock..."


    The knocking interrupted Ethan''s thoughts; he quickly dissipated the ice element in his palm, placed "The Study of Fireball and Ice Arrows'' Magic Power" back under the pillow, wiped away the frost on the bed, and tidied his clothes.


    The person outside announced themselves, "Ethan, this is Sheriff Ave; I''d like to discuss the werewolf case with you."


    "Coming!"


    Ethan responded, put on his shoes, and walked toward the door.


    A slender figure in a black coat stood at the door. Underneath the golden monocle were brown eyes; Ave looked more like a private detective than a sheriff. In Ethan''s understanding, a sheriff should be wearing light armor, be muscular, with a sword at hand; one look should provide a sense of security, not like Ave in her high-heeled knee boots that seemed unsuited for combat.


    When he saw the revolver on Ave''s waist, he could only sigh that times had changed.


    However, what impressed Ethan most about this town sheriff was the small tuft of lively golden hair on top of her head; he always felt that this tuft might have an independent personality and consciousness.


    Just like now, Ave''s face was as expressionless as ever, but the golden tuft on her head swayed to greet him.


    Ave believed in the God of Truth, reportedly an outstanding graduate of the Enlightenment Society, and the only registered second-tier Transcendent in the town.


    The God of Truth granted her boundless curiosity and acute observation, making it easier for her to see the essence of things, and also... weaknesses.


    Ave sharply observed Ethan''s current mental state, saying, "Sorry, maybe this isn''t a good time, but this concerns the town''s safety. I''d like to ask you some questions."


    Ethan quickly adjusted his mood, "Did something happen to the Hunter Squad?"


    "They''re all fine; in fact, they completed the hunt excellently. However, they brought back this."


    Ethan breathed a sigh of relief inwardly, while Ave took out an object from the inner pocket of her clothes.


    It was a finely crafted leather collar with a string attached. She unfastened the collar in front of Ethan, revealing strange runes inscribed on the inside of the collar.


    Ethan immediately became vigilant, "This looks like the script used by the Evil God''s followers."


    "That''s exactly what I''m worried about."


    "Please come in."


    After Ave entered, Ethan promptly locked the door, shut the windows, and drew the curtains for cover. Ave sat at the table with a grave expression, thoughtfully toying with the leather collar. Once the room was completely silent, she explained, "The hunters found it on the werewolf remnants."


    She said, "I was going to store it in the evidence room, but... how should I put it? This might sound a bit lowly; I actually... wanted to wear it around my neck."


    Ave toyed with the leather collar in her hand, while Ethan was entirely mesmerized by the tuft of golden hair atop her head. It had sprouted two ''hands'' and covered its ''eyes'', mimicking a chest-thumping demeanor.


    This kid was getting harder to watch!


    Ethan felt that tuft of golden hair was expressing such sentiment.


    "Ethan?"


    Ave''s call snapped him out of his thoughts, "You''re the most knowledgeable person in the town about the occult, so I''d like to know your opinion. Is it possible for werewolves to be tamed by humans?"


    (Sorry to keep everyone waiting. The start of this book didn''t go smoothly, with several revisions and setting resets. I even got a bit lost in writing at one point, but I managed to adjust finally. New book periods are very important; I hope the readers can support and read along, aiming to present a story you all would like!)


    (The new book period has two daily updates, except today; two Chapters will be updated daily at midnight. Due to recommendation issues during the new book period, updates won''t be too fast, and accumulated updates will occur in the launch month!)

 Chapter 3: Cursed Objects

    Chapter 3 - 3: Cursed ObjectsEthan dug out a popular science book titled "Understanding 100 Types of Dark Creatures" from beneath the pile of thick documents on the table, the author August is said to be an experienced Demon Hunter who lived in the fourth epoch, a time when the Evil God was most active, and was honored as a walking encyclopedia.


    The encyclopedia man unfortunately met his end while searching for the 101st dark creature, at the age of 43.


    For dark creatures like werewolves, which are considered riff-raff, the book provides a very detailed interpretation.


    Ethan quickly found the page about werewolves, "Werewolves are followers of the Hunting Goddess Cynthia, who is one of the seven Middle-Level Gods."


    "Half good, half evil, right?"


    Ave responded without looking up, "However, the Divine Hall of Hunting has long lost its reputation, while more and more dark creatures follow Her."


    "This is due to the way the followers practice their faith."


    Ethan had flipped through every book in the town related to Divine Spirits, although no one had ever truly seen the appearance of a god, various pieces of evidence indicate that divine spirits are real, and they are the key to unlocking the extraordinary path.


    Most scholars believe that the power of divine spirits far exceeds human imagination, making their stances meaningless to discuss, and thus can only distinguish the factions of divine spirits via the morality of their followers.


    Middle-Level Gods do not indicate the strength of power but rather that the followers of the Hunting Goddess might become righteous Demon Hunters or degenerate into dark creatures like werewolves, which feed on humans.


    Ethan condensed the parts of stories and research in the book into a simple theory, "Followers of the Hunting Goddess believe that humans can gain power from beasts and even monsters, thus they developed the ''imitation'' trick, gaining certain abilities from beasts by imitating their ways of life, yet this has sparked internal debates among followers¡ªwhat level of imitation is truly necessary?"


    Theoretically, the more thorough the imitation, the faster one enters the extraordinary realm, this is the consensus of Demon Hunters.


    But on a critical issue, two schools of thought have emerged with great disagreement, "For instance, should they, like beasts and monsters, eat humans?"


    In the past two years, Ethan has read many books on mysticism, almost all mystical systems have reached a subtle consensus on the act of eating humans.


    Once you eat humans, certain irreversible changes will occur in your body and soul.


    Just the definition of "changes" is different, some believe it''s retribution and curse, others think it''s growth and evolution.


    "So, werewolves are actually followers who have eaten humans."


    For the sake of accuracy, Ethan supplemented, "These are the original werewolves, but according to academic research, werewolves also have reproductive abilities, they can give birth to cub werewolves."


    Ave seemed pensive, she took off the collar and held it in front of her pale neck, her eyes emitting a faint green glow, not forgetting to ask Ethan''s opinion, "Do you think this collar looks good?"


    The golden hair above her head expressed intense emotions, gesturing toward Ethan as if conveying a message with all its might¡ªcan''t you just confiscate that lousy collar from her?


    Ethan received the signal, continuing to explain, "In terms of pure power levels, werewolves are indeed much stronger than Demon Hunters of the same rank, but the downside is that they gradually lose human reasoning, driven by instinct."


    Ave''s complexion froze, as if she''d been electrocuted, tossing the collar aside.


    She confirmed, "You mean werewolves become dumb?"


    "To be precise, they completely lose the ability to think."


    Ethan seized the weakness of the God of Truth''s followers, who would rather die than lose wisdom.


    The golden hair was quite satisfied, nodding repeatedly, even giving Ethan a thumbs-up.


    Ethan redirected the discussion back to the topic, saying, "From the perspective of imitation learning, werewolves cannot be trained, even forcing a collar on them would only domesticate them into huskies."


    "Huskies?"


    "It''s a creature I''ve seen mentioned in an ancient book, a dog with great destructive power, capable of easily tearing down houses, thus used as siege weapons during the second epoch."


    "I''ve heard the theory that dogs are domesticated wolves."


    "If you suspect someone captured a werewolf, kept it in the mountains as a monster for breeding, then that person must lack theoretical knowledge, because once the werewolf wears a collar, it strays from imitation learning and can barely grow anymore."


    Ave, however, stole a glance at the collar, demonstrating the embodiment of the term ''persistent thief'' through her actions, "I suspect that this collar can turn people into dark creatures."


    Ethan was startled internally, if the werewolf in the mountain was converted by a cursed item, wouldn''t that mean it had no family from the start?


    But at least... the fireball skill which sent it off was warm, letting it see its grandmother at the end of its life.


    And now, Ave seemed eager to try, very keen on testing the collar''s effect.


    Miss Ave, a pure follower of the God of Truth, is the type of woman who can''t resist pressing a red button on the wall just to see what it does.


    "This is a cursed item, it twists the human body, damages the soul, presumably above rank three..."


    Rank three cursed items?


    No wonder she is so eager to try, items like this are rare in a remote town like Ximu Town.


    Ethan glanced at the collar dismantled and laid out on the table, this inconspicuous thing surprisingly had a higher rank assessment compared to Ave herself.


    Ave mourned, "I''ll write a letter to the people from the Reception Bureau, if all goes well, the containment team will arrive at the town in three days, and now I need some of your help."


    He could only recall a parchment book he''d once read titled "Encyclopedia of Cursed Items," authored by the previous director of the Cursed Items Reception Bureau, who became director in his thirties, handling over a hundred cursed items, a young man with a limitless future.


    Passed away, at 33, died during a containment failure.


    The director proposed his insights into cursed items in the book, most curses require a specific user to exert their full threat, thus curse ratings are evaluated comprehensively based on the maker and threat levels, he inferred that Ave''s mention of "above rank three" likely refers to the maker''s level of the collar.


    Ethan silently recalled details from the book.


    Once a rank three cursed item is activated, it would cause great harm to towns, often resulting in dozens of casualties.


    Ave suddenly said, "Bring me a pen and paper."


    Ethan saw this as getting involved in curse assessment work, in order to ensure the safety of transport and containment, they must record the properties of cursed items as much as possible.


    "Werewolf Collar (pending), estimated curse level, above rank three."


    Ave took the paper and pen, seriously drafting the beginning, she then discussed with Ethan the details of the collar''s return to the town, "The three Hunters didn''t notice any abnormalities while bringing the collar back, but after meeting you, their desire to wear it gradually lessened, from now on, every answer you give is of paramount importance¡ªEthan, when you saw the collar, were you also attracted to it?"


    "Not at all."


    Moreover, Ethan suspected that from the moment Ave got the collar, the golden hair on her head had been scolding her, he even wondered if that tuft of golden hair might itself be some sort of cursed item.


    Ave nodded, continued writing diligently, "Influence correlates with the number of companions, not significantly with extraordinary ranks, recommended transport numbers: two or more."


    "Next, we address the actual effects of the cursed item."


    She bit the pen in her mouth, suddenly having a bright idea, "Ethan, why don''t you try wearing it?"


    sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 4 - Four: We Need 1 Volunteer

    Chapter 4 - Four: We Need 1 Volunteer"Ethan, actually, turning into a werewolf has a lot of benefits."


    Ave seemed to completely forget she was facing an expert who had thoroughly studied werewolf ecology, "Powerful strength, lightning speed, and unparalleled regenerative abilities. Those followers of the Hunting Goddess have to simulate a wolf''s life for years and eat human flesh, but you just need to wear this collar to achieve that!"


    Her eyes sparkled, shining like a salesperson in those TV commercials saying, "Don''t pay $19,998, just $998 and you can take the product home immediately."


    Ethan immediately exposed Ave''s rhetoric, "But you would become stupid."


    He always considered himself an intellect-type hero, and for a Mage, strength and agility were secondary attributes.


    Ave picked up the collar, showcasing the "product" to Ethan, "Don''t you think this collar is exquisitely crafted? It''s much more beautiful than many precious jewelry pieces."


    "Once you turn into a werewolf, you can''t change back."


    Ethan remained unmoved, "The Old Demon Hunter August wrote in ''Getting to Know 100 Dark Creatures'' that he never encountered an individual who could change back from a werewolf into a human."


    "It''s okay, I can take care of you."


    Can this really be okay!


    Ethan instantly saw through Ave''s little scheme, this Enlightenment Society devotee merely wanted to study the cursed object and its changes.


    He glared at the top of Ave''s head with a disdainful look that said, "Can''t you control your young lady?", even the golden retriever couldn''t bear it anymore, mustering all its strength and slammed into Ave''s head but with little effect, not enough to interrupt Ave''s chanting.


    She continued to eloquently describe the benefits, "You''ll move into a big house, much larger than here! Every meal you''ll be provided with the finest beef, I can even hire a professional chef for you. If you wish, you can also have a groomer to manage your hair, teeth, and claws regularly taken care of by specialists."


    "I refuse."


    Ethan''s attitude was firm, then he changed the subject, "However, I have a plan to recruit volunteers."


    This was a problem he was destined to face sooner or later, and before the personnel from the shelter arrived in town, how to properly store the cursed object became an issue.


    Just as written in books, once the storage process slipped, the resulting casualties would be disastrous.


    According to Ave''s summed up traits, theoretically, arranging groups of people in the Guild to rotate watching the collar seemed to be the most proper way, but when put into practice, it wasn''t so, as besides the shelter, there was also a black market existing in this world, the nobles of the Empire always liked to collect some peculiar objects to demonstrate their unique taste.


    As long as they could sell this suspected third-degree cursed object, they wouldn''t have to live a life licking blood off the knife''s edge for the rest of their lives.


    Thinking of the guards possibly fighting among themselves first for the ownership of the cursed object, Ethan felt it would be best if fewer people knew of its existence.


    Constantly guarding against the "attraction" of the cursed item was thankless, so he adopted a reverse thinking method¡ªin which a volunteer wearing the cursed item rendered its "attraction" ineffective to others.


    So only one last question remained.


    Who would be the most suitable volunteer?


    It''s important to know, once the collar is on, there''s no turning back.


    Ave raised her head to look at Ethan, quietly waiting for the next step in the plan.


    "Miss Keroy is a very suitable candidate, she''s the only child at home, and her parents died early in an accident, leaving her with only a simple little house. More importantly, even if she suddenly disappeared, no one would notice."


    After all, it''s a chaotic era, everyone knew that a lonely girl like Miss Keroy wouldn''t survive long, "rather than die of hunger or disease in vain, it''s better to dedicate herself to contributing to the town, then they can engrave her name on the town center''s monument, that should align with the society''s mission."


    As Ethan expected, Ave''s brows relaxed, it wasn''t hard to see she was very pleased with this proposal.


    As for the moral blame...


    This was never an issue the followers of the Enlightenment Society would consider.


    Ethan immediately said, "I''ll find a way to persuade Miss Keroy."


    It only took him half an hour to bring back the good news to the Guild. Upon entering, Ave was sitting in a corner of the Guild''s first floor, holding a leather book in her hands.


    Seeing Ethan walking over, she immediately asked, "Where''s Miss Keroy?"


    "Miss Keroy is an understanding girl, when she learned my intention, she quickly agreed."


    "How much relocation fee is needed?"


    Ave replied smoothly, obviously, this wasn''t the first time the Society had experienced something like this, "If researching cursed items as a topic, I can apply for a grant from the Society."


    In this era where most people hovered around the poverty line, the Enlightenment Society could always easily find many volunteers willing to sell themselves for a good price.


    "No need, I''ve already paid the relocation fee, Miss Keroy is now waiting for us outside the town."


    Ave nodded, praising Ethan without stint, "I always thought you had the potential to join the Society."


    This was just polite talk, Ethan merely smiled and walked out of the Guild.


    The Enlightenment Society belonged to the genteel people, most who joined were from the nobility and wealthy merchants.


    Those with empty bellies had no leisure to seek truth.


    Outside town, near the southwest corner by the river, there was a small wooden cabin. Originally, it housed an old hunter, but after the hunter died, it was left vacant. Ethan saw it on the Guild''s records, during his early practice of the Fireball Skill, he used this cabin, later, once his proficiency increased and unlocked ranged casting, he rarely visited.


    The understanding Miss Keroy was waiting outside the dilapidated cabin.


    A thick rope tied around her leg, hearing the two approaching footsteps, and she excitedly hopped in place, letting out a thrilled "cluck-cluck-cluck."


    Miss Keroy was a gentle girl, when Ethan brought her here all the way, she just quietly lay on his arm, without struggle or pecking.


    The relocation fee was half a piece of wheat bread, and Miss Keroy ate it happily.


    "Is this the Miss Keroy you mentioned?"


    Looking at the cheerful little hen, Ave''s face turned somewhat gloomy, the golden retriever atop her head stood up, also indicating skepticism towards Ethan.


    "I watched Miss Keroy grow up. Ever since her parents had their accident, she has been left alone in the chicken coop."


    The cause of the accident was simple.


    A severe winter arrived at the town a year ago, coinciding with a food shortage. On a stormy snowy night, townspeople broke into her home...


    Ethan looked down at the little hen that had jumped to his feet, casting aside unpleasant memories. The chickens of this world were no different from those on Earth, if you raised her from young, she''d always follow you.


    "I think this is the best solution for now, even if the cursed item twists Miss Keroy''s soul, it reduces harm to the town to the minimum."


    Except, it''s not favorable for Ave''s research.


    But Ethan believed people always compromised, if he asked an Enlightenment Society devotee to give up curiosity, it would inevitably be refused, but if he suggested they settle for the next best thing and even brought them an animal for experiments, they would concede.


    Ave was speechless for a long time, finally taking a deep breath.


    She still took out a notebook, handing the collar to Ethan.


    "You put it on her, I''ll record."


    Ethan admitted, when he held the collar in his hand, his heart was full of trepidation.


    Especially when he met Miss Keroy''s innocent eyes, he instantly felt an unprecedented sense of guilt.


    "I''ll have your name engraved on the town monument."


    He promised Miss Keroy, then put the collar on her himself.


    The change happened almost immediately.


    The gentle "clucking" turned to a sharp screech, and Miss Keroy''s body swelled several times over with just a shake and knocked Ethan away, her feathers growing visibly from the eye. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The whole process lasted nearly a minute.


    Presented in front of Ethan, Miss Keroy had transformed into a colossal creature, waist-high to him.


    A person and a chicken stared at each other for a long while.


    Then, Ethan experienced the first time in his life being pounced on by a chicken.

 Chapter 5: Friends of Animals

    Chapter 5 - 5: Friends of AnimalsThrough experiments, Ethan discovered many benefits of the mutated hen.


    For instance, its feathers are very soft, and the area under its wings is quite warm, no wonder chicks like to snuggle under the mother hen''s wings right after birth.


    The downside is that the mutated Miss Keroy is quite heavy, pressing on his chest which makes it hard for him to breathe.


    "It''s obvious she really likes you."


    Ave showed no emotion, nor any intention to help, while the golden-haired individual above her bent over with laughter.


    She commented while recording, "This aligns with my hypothesis; the collar likely causes the wearer to feel an unusual emotional bond toward the holder, even obeying their commands."


    "Miss Keroy, please get off me now."


    Ethan commanded the "small" hen that was enthusiastically nuzzling his face, and she immediately moved off his chest, then stood proudly like a wolf-dog at his feet.


    "What other feelings do you have?"


    "Shortness of breath, Miss Keroy has gotten heavier."


    Ethan supported his waist, taking several deep breaths, the frailty of a mage''s physical body was evident, while he concealed the unusual from Ave ¡ª the reason he didn''t use magic when Miss Keroy pounced on him was due to a peculiar psychic link that made him aware her action was playful, not an attack.


    But Ave must not know this, otherwise, he would immediately become another research subject.


    And now, Ethan had to face another issue, "What species is this, exactly?"


    Before Ave could question him, Ethan took the initiative; the current Miss Keroy belonged to no species he knew of; her feathers had turned a striking fiery red due to mutation, her beak becoming thin and sharp, exuding wildness, and most notably, the tail feathers had transformed ¡ª a small tail feather turned into three beautiful forked tails.


    "Wolf Chicken."


    This issue was simply no challenge for an Enlightenment Society believer, "The principle is simple: when people wear a cursed item they turn into werewolves, so chickens turn into wolf chickens."


    While speaking, Ave noted the new species she created on the paper.


    Ethan fell into thought; although the current Miss Keroy seemed unrelated to a wolf, she already exhibited many wolf... dog characteristics, Ave meanwhile retrieved a piece of raw meat from somewhere and tossed it to Keroy, the palm-sized meat was intercepted mid-air, with no chance of hitting the ground, it was swallowed by Keroy.


    If Miss Keroy pecked someone now, it would be far more than just a sting.


    She reminded Ethan, "Don''t just stand there, there are many more tests to be conducted next." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From basic measurements like height and weight, to destructive power tests, Ethan had to acknowledge that when he saw Miss Keroy crush granite with one claw, his heart was slightly shocked.


    And then came the most critical test, Ethan and Ave separately spent half an hour alone with Miss Keroy, the result as they expected, when the cursed item was activated, its irresistible allure disappeared.


    Ave completed her series of tests by nightfall, smoke rose in the distant small town, she packed up pen and paper, gazed at the faint lights at the end of the road, and suddenly said, "If you take the wolf chicken back to town, it''s bound to spark discussion and panic; I''ll bring you some supplies, until the people from the refuge arrive, you''ll have to stay here, with her by your side, you don''t have to worry about wild animal attacks."


    Ethan was naturally eager for this, he was contemplating an excuse to leave the town, living alone here allowed him to practice the Ice Arrow freely.


    Besides, compared to Enlightenment Society adherents like Ave, he preferred being with small animals.


    A person and a hen stood by the roadside watching Ave disappear at the end of the road, Miss Keroy walked to his front, stood on tiptoe and rubbed her head against his chest.


    "Do you want to go hunting?"


    Ethan suddenly thought, since arriving in this world, he seemed particularly favored by animals, it''s a pity this world doesn''t have professions like Beast King, otherwise, he wouldn''t need to stay in town laboring over practicing Fireball Skill for two years.


    Miss Keroy nodded and cheerfully ran towards the jungle.


    Wolf chickens can understand human language, and he can also sense the wolf chicken''s mood.


    For example now, she''s very excited.


    She dived into the deep bushes, and when he got closer, she playfully stuck her head out, seemingly trying to surprise him.


    Ethan was influenced and quickened his pace unknowingly.


    On the other side, compared to the joyful Miss Keroy, someone was in an extremely bad mood.


    A figure, cloaked in black robes, stood within a deep pit at the mountain top, his bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at the land now turned to scorched earth.


    Those following her trembled uncontrollably, frozen in place, not daring to make a sound.


    Overwhelming fear spread among the crowd.


    After who knows how long, someone finally gathered the courage to break the stalemate, "Priest, in my opinion... we should strategically adjust our target, I feel this small town is strange."


    Others silently peeked at the figure standing in the pit, inwardly agreeing with the brave one''s suggestion.


    Although the investigation indicated the sheriff of Ximu Town was merely a second-tier Truth Society bookworm, the town should have been destroyed by the magical tide caused by the ritual last night, but a falling meteor allowed the people of Ximu Town to miraculously survive, making matters worse, the Priest''s meticulously raised pet was nowhere to be found in the disaster, and the token was missing too.


    Celestial anomaly, surely not a good omen.


    "I believe the Mother Goddess will understand¡ª"


    The man''s voice abruptly halted, his eyes widened, the voice seemed to be stuck in his throat, he painfully clutched his chest, collapsing on the ground, cold sweat soaking through his clothes.


    The next moment, a mouthful of blood spurted out, along with a wriggling object.


    It was a still-beating heart, coughed out from his throat, held in his own hands.


    The man felt his life force dwindling, yet was speechless, he could only look pleadingly at his companions behind him.


    Everyone fearfully lowered their heads, some even proactively assured, "Rest assured, priest, Ximu Town will definitely be destroyed, and then the entire Empire will fear us!"


    "Thud¡ª"


    Everyone heard the sound of something heavy hitting the ground, the man maintained his incredulous expression as he fell to the ground, the still-beating heart also fell, stained with black ash, and ceased to move after a few slight tremors.


    "Activate the southwest corner''s summoning ceremony."


    The figure ordered in an unquestionable tone, "I want to see this place reduced to ashes."

 Chapter 6: The Youth and the Wolf Chicken

    Chapter 6 - 6: The Youth and the Wolf ChickenAround the outskirts of Ximu Town, there were always many fierce beasts roaming about, mostly wolves, but occasionally there''d be black bears, griffins, murder hornets, or... the Great Wild Boar King.


    This was the name Ethan gave to the peculiar creature before him. It wasn''t documented in "100 Dark Creatures You Need to Know". It had a pair of sharp tusks, its entire body was a reddish-brown, with most areas covered by a biological shell bristling with black spikes. Its size was much larger than any wild boar he had known, and when first seen, it stood proudly like a true King.


    But in reality, it was quite a bluff. With just one ice arrow, it flopped to the ground, its short limbs fluttering a few times before becoming motionless.


    However, this Great Wild Boar King had another hidden trait ¡ª it was particularly rich in experience points.


    "Ice Arrow (Beginner): Proficiency: 1/75"


    Seeing the proficiency level of Ice Arrow rise by a whole rank, Ethan fell into contemplation. This was his first encounter with the Great Wild Boar King outside of Ximu Town in two years, and it made him question whether the training strategy he''d adopted over the past two years had been wrong. The Great Wild Boar King possessed the negative traits of ''large size,'' ''easy to aim at,'' ''fragile,'' and ''abundant experience'', making it a natural treasure trove of experience points.


    If he had been hunting one Great Wild Boar King daily for the past two years, perhaps he would''ve already mastered the spells from "Fireball and Ice Arrow Magic Studies."


    Putting thoughts into action, Ethan meticulously examined the Great Wild Boar King''s wounds.


    The cause of death was a hole that pierced through its entire body. The ice arrow shattered its black biological shell in the front chest, passed through the Great Wild Boar King, and left holes of the same size on several trees behind it before disappearing into the darkness.


    The power of this ice arrow was somewhat different from what Ethan had imagined.


    He finally understood why "Fireball and Ice Arrow Magic Studies" said that ice magic is suitable for resolving conflicts between people. Learning the Ice Arrow as an Elemental Shaper was equivalent to carrying a heavy-duty rifle with you, and the penetration of this ice arrow far exceeded that of any known firearms of this era.


    Plus, with Ice Arrow being the most basic spell and requiring very little energy, it essentially became a heavy-duty rifle with nearly unlimited ammo.


    If you saw someone you weren''t fond of, you could just snipe them, thought Ethan, perhaps this was the lifestyle of an ice elemental shaper.


    Nevertheless, he''s a kind-hearted person.


    After collecting enough wood and with a pot in hand, Ethan returned to stand beside the Great Wild Boar King. He was not only kind-hearted but also very frugal¡ªhe wouldn''t waste nature''s gifts. Having been hustled by Jelol all day to measure Miss Keroy, yet hadn''t had even a piece of bread to eat, maybe the Great Wild Boar King knew this and that''s why it came before him.


    Truly a merciful king who couldn''t bear to see people go hungry!


    Miss Keroy heard his footsteps, her body stiffened, and she stopped gnawing. After locking eyes with Ethan for a few seconds, she shook herself, flinging off the blood and flesh bits from her face, and then gracefully walked over to the pot, quietly sitting down like a patient and elegant lady.


    Ethan''s mind was conflicted.


    Miss Keroy had changed; she not only had the air of a lady but was also no longer satisfied with just a handful of breadcrumbs¡ªas she collected wood, one of the Great Wild Boar King''s legs had disappeared without a trace, and Miss Keroy showed no signs of being full.


    A flame sparked in his palm, igniting the piled-up wood, while pieces of ice fell into the pot he set up. According to Ethan''s conclusions, the second stage proficiency unlocks the ability to convert elements, and the ice cubes generated by magic could serve as an important water resource in the wilderness.


    With the advancement in ice arrow proficiency, he had transformed into a near-perpetual-motion wilderness survival master. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Miss Keroy, help me cut the meat."


    Keroy nodded and even bowed to him elegantly. She inserted her claw into the Great Wild Boar King''s abdomen, and with a gentle pull, tore off a prime piece of pork belly. Then, much to Ethan''s amazement, an incredible scene unfolded.


    Miss Keroy, without any training, seemed to have mastered the art of peeling and plucking!


    Before tossing the pork belly into the water, with a gentle swipe of her claw on its surface, the inedible parts were trimmed away, and without waiting for Ethan to speak, she threw the whole piece into the pot.


    Ethan gazed long at the meat floating on the water, and said, "You might not believe it, but this is a wolf chicken that knows how to cook."


    The curse of lycanthropy typically caused humans to gradually lose their intelligence, yet Miss Keroy was becoming increasingly clever.


    Under the serene moonlight, man and chicken sat beside the pot, waiting for the water to boil, and Ethan''s long-dormant sense of peace washed over him, allowing him to cast aside the world''s dangers and many worries.


    Strangely enough, every time he interacted with animals, fortune tended to come his way.


    Miss Keroy seemed to see through his thoughts, tilting her head up, casting a curious glance his way, and even letting out a faint cluck. Ethan somehow read a gossipy atmosphere in the eyes of this chicken.


    "Yes, I once had a cat."


    Since coming into this world, he had suppressed many secrets in his heart. These secrets might invite danger, but keeping them bottled inside continuously also created intangible stress.


    Back when he first arrived here, it was only when he interacted with small animals in town that he could briefly relax. "It was a white cat, with red eyes, her name was ''Zhaocai''... You ask why ''Zhaocai''? Well, she was excellent at rummaging things, always bringing home some treasure, but she was a rather aloof cat. Every time I''d call ''Zhaocai'', she''d always look at me with disdain."


    The treasures "Zhaocai" dug up from who knows where helped him get through the toughest of times. Ethan always felt that "Zhaocai" could understand what he was saying.


    "Cluck cluck?"


    "Hmm? Where did ''Zhaocai'' go? One morning, after she dug up a sheepskin book titled ''Fireball and Ice Arrow Magic Studies'', she vanished, never to be seen in town again. I guess she still had something she needed to accomplish. She was a clever cat and could live well anywhere."


    "Cluck "


    "I know."


    Ethan gently stroked Miss Keroy''s head as she moved closer on her own accord.


    Steam began to rise from the pot. He stood up and started preparing dinner for himself and Miss Keroy. This world''s seasoning was quite scarce, limited to basic salt and sugar; he mixed these with small onions and carrots into the pot, skimming off the froth with a ladle.


    "Screech¡ª!"


    A cry screeched overhead. Miss Keroy nervously lifted her head into the night sky.


    The fear of predators lingered in her memory.


    "Don''t be nervous."


    Ethan also saw a hawk streaking through the moonlight, its path toward the town not stopping for a moment before vanishing into the distance. "It''s a messenger from the big city."


    (The contract status has been corrected, and the reading data during the new book period is very important. I earnestly request your collections and readership support, thank you very much!)

 Chapter 7: The Land of Destruction and Rebirth

    Chapter 7 - 7: The Land of Destruction and Rebirth"To Teacher Valerie."


    The coal lamp on the desk in the bedroom glowed softly, and Ave stowed the envelope with a heavy expression. The red hawk at the windowsill nodded to her, took the envelope in its beak, spread its wings, and disappeared into the night.


    Over the past two years, she had sent over twenty letters to the society, but she never received a satisfactory reply.


    This time, unsurprisingly, the great nobles of the Imperial City once again rejected her application for troop deployment to Ximu Town. Those pampered individuals always believed they had more important matters to attend to and dismissed the threats she mentioned in her letters.


    This evening, her teacher proposed relocating her back to the Imperial City, saying her mother was getting old and she shouldn''t keep letting her family worry.


    Ave clenched her fists.


    Those people were completely unaware of the crisis facing the Empire.


    The sudden appearance of werewolves in the forests, the curse objects suspected to be of level three or above, and the blood moon last night¡ªeverything indicated the followers of the Evil God had set their eyes on this border town.


    Her gaze again lingered on the yellowed newspaper on the table.


    "The Downfall of the Witch¡ªFollowers of the Evil God stand no chance against the Empire!"


    The bold headline showcased the writer''s pride. This reporter from the Horned Owl Beast Daily was present under the execution platform, witnessing the witch''s execution and chronicling her life story in the newspaper¡ªthe Empire''s once most outstanding Elemental Shaper, who had fallen to the Evil God''s influence.


    The black and white colored image on the newspaper kept altering, repetitively showing the execution scene Ave had seen countless times¡ªa woman with her head covered by a black hood bound to a stake. The executioner poured oil over her, igniting her with a torch, engulfing her almost instantly in flames. When the fire extinguished, only a charred corpse remained on the stake.


    Ave frowned deeply. Never did the Church allow anyone to see the witch''s face. The official explanation was that the witch possessed evil eyes that could enchant people, but it also gave space for various speculations.


    Like in the battle that devastated most of the Imperial City, the Church failed to capture the Lindong Witch alive and could only find a scapegoat.


    Yet, the reporter from Horned Owl Beast Daily believed the Church''s propaganda completely. After the execution, the newspaper lavishly praised the Church''s achievements, and to this day, the great nobles of the Imperial City believe the Lindong Witch to be thoroughly dead.


    However, rumors claimed that the severely injured witch had escaped the Church and the Knight Order''s encirclement, fled to the border town, and left the Empire''s boundaries.


    Ave, exhausted, rubbed her forehead. She had integrated all the rumors, speculating the most likely escape route of the Lindong Witch, which was precisely why she had insisted on coming to Ximu Town after leaving the Imperial City.


    Ximu Town was the last stop for the Lindong Witch, and in the eyes of the Evil God''s followers, this town held an exceptionally special meaning. They dubbed it the "land of destruction and rebirth," firmly believing that when the Lindong Witch resurfaces, she will bring doom to this decaying Empire.


    That was two years ago.


    Recently, various signs around Ximu Town indicated manifestations of the witch''s resurrection. Ave had already sent her collated routes and manuscripts back to the society, but...


    The nobles of the Imperial City regarded her as a delusional clown with very little power, given that she was only a graduate of the Enlightenment Society with a second-tier level. Even her father wrote, warning her against sending more absurd letters, asserting that those would only disgrace the family.


    Ave sighed, tidying up the materials on the table before placing them into the drawer.


    Only time can prove everything.


    Thus, she once again ignored her teacher''s suggestion, preferring to die along with the truth.


    Ave took off her windbreaker, hung it on the rack, and wrapped herself in a blanket, lying awake in bed for a long while. Besides the matter of the Evil God''s followers, another issue troubled her mind.


    Ave always felt she had forgotten something, yet when she tried to think carefully, she couldn''t pinpoint it. For a truth seeker, this was nothing short of torment.


    Her sleep was restless, plagued by endless nightmares.


    She dreamed of being on the town''s street, where everything was blanketed in ice and snow, facing familiar residents of the town frozen mid-flight¡ªpanicked expressions forever captured at that moment.


    She also dreamed of a cloaked figure overlooking her from the top of the clock tower, wearing a bizarre mask beneath which gleamed a scarlet eye.


    When the sky outside began to lighten, Ave woke from the nightmare.


    She threw off the blanket, sat up in bed, her body already soaked in sweat, her golden hair standing on end from fright, and finally remembered the matter she had forgotten last night.


    "Oh no!" S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Forgot to take food to Ethan!"


    "That guy... wouldn''t he be eaten by the hungry wolf chicken?"


    Meanwhile, the early-rising Ethan also experienced a shocking surprise as he stepped out of his cabin.


    Miss Keroy noticed him leaving; she cheerfully stood up on the mattress and greeted him with a good morning, inadvertently revealing what lay beneath her.


    A corpse stared blankly, stretched out with a long blood trail on the ground from its right hand reaching forward.


    Ethan stared at the body for a good ten seconds before calmly retreating into the cabin, shutting the door.


    Perhaps he hadn''t fully woken up.


    Ethan composed himself, patted his cheeks to stay awake, prepared himself, and pushed the door open once more.


    "Good morning, Miss Keroy."


    "Cluck cluck!"


    The lively Miss Keroy responded to him.


    She sat back on the mattress, obscuring the body with only a protruding segment of the right hand visible, along with the bloodied mattress.


    "Go dig a pit, Miss Keroy."


    "Cluck?"


    Having received the order, Miss Keroy promptly trotted to the vacant ground in front of the cabin, scratching the earth with her claws as Ethan picked up a shovel from inside the cabin and followed.


    During the digging, Ethan heard Miss Keroy''s explanation.


    She picked up the corpse from the road; during the night, she heard cries for help and went to investigate. By the time she arrived, the man was bleeding from all orifices, convulsing unceasingly on the ground. Seeing that he had completely lost consciousness, afraid he''d catch cold lying there, she dragged the man back to the cabin and placed him on the mattress, covering him with feathers from her belly for warmth, akin to incubating an egg.


    What a kind little chicken!


    Ethan wanted to praise Miss Keroy''s kindness, but if someone else witnessed this scene, it might spawn another version of the story.


    For instance, they might say he and the wolf chicken teamed up in the wild to attack an innocent passer-by, brutally murder him, plunder his belongings, and then bury the body.


    "Ethan, I brought you milk and bread¡ª"


    The voice that made Ethan''s scalp tingle appeared from behind, unsurprisingly interrupting once it came closer.


    He stiffly turned around, seeing Ave standing atop the mound, scanning him vigilantly with both her eyes and golden locks.


    "Let me explain."


    He needed to explain the situation to Ave clearly and concisely, "This person, died of natural causes."

 Chapter 8: Unnatural Death

    Chapter 8 - 8: Unnatural Death"Come on, explain to me what natural death means."


    Ave felt a faint headache. She squatted beside the dead man and examined him closely.


    There were abrasions on his arm, and according to Ethan, this happened when the Wolf Chicken dragged the man''s body back to the cabin, but it couldn''t explain the man''s massive blood loss.


    The suspect, Ethan, had pulled up a small chair to sit on the side, eating the milk and bread Ave had brought, sharing half with the eagerly awaiting Miss Keroy. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He explained, "The man was just walking down the road, suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed. It was a very natural death."


    That''s what Miss Keroy said ¡ª by the time she rushed to help, the man was already dead.


    Ethan admitted that yesterday he had internally criticized the followers of the Enlightenment Society, thinking they were cold-blooded and insane. But everything has two sides; as long as your conscience is clear, even if your testimony is flimsy, they will find every way to prove your innocence.


    Truth is above all else, this is the creed of every truth seeker.


    Ave seemed to remember something. She turned the man''s body over, laid him flat on the ground, and took a dagger from the inside pocket of her trench coat, instructing, "You, help me out."


    Ethan immediately got a bad feeling, "Help with what?"


    "Help me cut open his belly."


    "That... doesn''t sound right."


    "He''s already dead. At least finding out the truth can give him a meaningful death."


    "I mean, I''m having breakfast."


    Ethan waved around the bread in his hand, but in Ave''s eyes, this excuse was completely unreasonable. She threw him a skeptical look as if she couldn''t comprehend the conflict between the two actions.


    He could only add, "Blood will splatter on the bread."


    "Just pretend it''s cherry jam."


    With a serious look and a matter-of-fact tone, Ethan originally wanted to scold Ave but suddenly realized something, feeling a chill in his heart, "Have you... tried it?"


    "It''s quite normal. Back in school at the Society, we often stayed with corpses all day. Blood and cherry jam taste quite similar, and as for brain tissue, you can think of it as..."


    "Stop, hold it right there!"


    This girl is definitely not normal, Ethan thought seriously.


    He felt like the bread in his hand was already tainted with the taste of blood.


    Ave noticed Ethan moved his little stool back a meter, gave him a disdainful glance, and said coldly, "Useless." Then she aimed the dagger at the man''s bulging belly and swiftly sliced it open with a clean cut.


    A large amount of fresh blood gushed out, dyeing her whole face red.


    "See, I warned you."


    Seeing this, Ethan picked up his stool again and strategically retreated three meters back, while silently thinking to himself that the man wasn''t normal either. Normally, when your stomach is sliced open, blood shouldn''t fountain like that.


    He originally thought Ave would scream and curse, but she merely wiped the blood covering her eyes with her sleeve and calmly pulled apart the slit in the corpse''s abdomen with her hands. After observing for a while, she reached her hands inside and began stirring, a scene that robbed Ethan of his appetite, twisting his features as he handed the half-bitten bread to Miss Keroy.


    Miss Keroy, however, accepted it without hesitation. Judging by her gulping down the bread, she seemed to find it rather appetizing.


    "His internal organs have melted, probably caused by witchcraft. Alright, he''s not someone you killed."


    Ave turned her blood-stained face around; like a true deranged serial killer, she didn''t forget to correct Ethan, "But your defense earlier was very problematic. If you encounter someone who doesn''t like ambiguity, it could land you in jail. Don''t say that next time."


    "Yes, my lord!"


    The golden tuft on top of Ave''s head pointed at Ethan like a flexible finger, assertively commanding, "Stop flattering, hurry and finish your milk."


    "Finished it."


    "Then come over and help, move him to a flat surface inside."


    Ethan glanced from a distance at the corpse. The man died with his eyes wide open, a testament to the immense suffering he endured before death. His wide eyes were staring straight at him, not to mention the horrific state of his abdomen...


    "Miss Keroy, come lend me a hand, will you?"


    He immediately called for backup, and Ave gave him a look as if to say, "Hopeless."


    Miss Keroy was as efficient as always; with great strength, it took her less than a minute to drag the man''s body inside the cabin. The only problem was her lack of precision, leaving blood all over the floor, making his new home look more like a crime scene, while Ave was already on to the next task. She used the man''s body as the center and drew a circle, carefully filling it with runes that Ethan couldn''t understand.


    The onlooking Ethan felt deep concern.


    Initially, the crime scene seemed like he and Miss Keroy had robbed and killed a passerby for valuables, but with Ave''s arrival, it successfully turned into a sacrificial site for the Evil God''s followers.


    "Lord Ave, there''s something I don''t know if I should say."


    Ave squatted in front of the corpse, not looking back, "Don''t say it."


    "I think it''s better I say it, just to confirm something ¡ª we''re not followers of the Evil God, right?"


    "The Evil God''s sacrifice ritual isn''t drawn like this. This is to make him talk."


    "Make the dead speak?"


    Ave was too lazy to explain further. She quickly finished the last rune, took out a small palm-sized parchment scroll from the inside pocket of her clothing, muttered some incantations, then focused her gaze as she slapped the scroll onto the man''s forehead. The whole corpse emitted a ghostly green glow, as an invisible force lifted it up, with deep echoes turning the place into a haunted house.


    She asked the man, "Who killed you?"


    "The water... is tainted... be careful... everyone is dead... must warn Xi-Ximu..."


    "Thud."


    The force holding the corpse vanished, and the body slumped to the floor once more. Ave furrowed her brows, deep in thought, then mumbled after a long silence, "Someone used a curse on him through the water source. Where did you find him?"


    "On the main road."


    "That means he came from Riverside Town."


    Ethan could see Ave was deep in meditation since he noticed steam rising from her head, seemingly dissipating heat, while Miss Keroy suddenly became agitated, flapping her wings and alerting the two, "Coo coo, coo coo coo!"


    Footsteps outside approached closer and closer, though Ave paid no attention.


    "You, hide!"


    Upon receiving her orders, Miss Keroy immediately hid behind the cupboard, assuming a menacing stance.


    Ethan''s nerves were on high alert. He stood behind the door, waiting for the jumbled footsteps to reach the entrance.


    It wasn''t just one person; through the door, he heard the sound of a sword being drawn.


    A familiar voice, like a thunderbolt, pierced through the house, "Do not act rashly, we are the Ximu Town Guard. You... Sheriff, why is it you?"


    The stern shout abruptly stopped, the burly man who had burst in was dumbfounded upon seeing Ave.


    Snapped back from her thoughts, Ave finally came to her senses. She looked up, glanced at the Guard Captain, and got up, seemingly forgetting she was covered in blood, and like a demon from hell, she walked towards the Guard Captain, scaring the thick-set man into retreating a few steps.


    "Good timing."


    Ave asked, "Did you see any suspicious people on your way here?"


    All the town guards were thunderstruck. They looked at each other, confirming their thoughts.


    The next moment, a dozen fingers collectively pointed at Ave.


    Including the tuft of golden hair on her own head.


    "Mr. Ethan."


    Ave felt she might have high blood pressure at such a young age, as she sharply singled out the prime target among the accusing stares, threatening fiercely, "If you keep pointing at me, watch out, I''ll hit you!"

 Chapter 9: Poison in the Water

    Chapter 9 - 9: Poison in the WaterWhy are you only picking on me?


    Captain Hagrid did it too!


    Besides, the golden hair above your head is pointing at you!


    Ethan muttered in his heart in response to Ave''s verbal threat.


    This burly man was named Hagrid. When he was young, his dream was to become an honorable knight, join the Kingdom Army, and dedicate his strength to the Empire. However, he couldn''t even pass the interview stage and had to return to Ximu Town, wielding a sword as a security guard while he was still strong and robust.


    These were all things Captain Hagrid talked about when drunk.


    The team of a dozen men he led formed the town''s defense works and was also Baron Gledin''s private armed force.


    Ethan quickly built a good relationship with this "local tyrant" after arriving in Ximu Town. He found Hagrid to be a straightforward man in speech and action, with no ill intentions. As long as you invite him for a few drinks during his days off, he would see you as a best friend.


    Ave pulled Hagrid aside and gestured animatedly, "The ''Necromancy Scroll'', a simplified form of Spirit Communication Magic, high-tier Spirit Masters from the imperial capital inscribed their magic into scrolls. If you follow the steps appropriately, even common people can achieve magical effects."


    Seeing Hagrid somewhat puzzled, she began to explain the scroll-making process in detail, successfully making Hagrid even more bewildered.


    At this moment, Hagrid was on pins and needles. Ave''s earnest explanation made him unwilling to admit he hadn''t understood a word, so he could only cast a pleading glance at Ethan.


    "To put it simply, Sheriff Ave and I were just investigating this man''s cause of death."


    Ethan seized the moment to summarize Ave''s lengthy academic explanation.


    In fact, this academic explanation also revealed a lot of hidden information.


    Ave''s family background is certainly unusual; scroll craftsmanship isn''t widespread in the Empire. He once overheard hunters in the Guild discussing how functional magic scrolls could sell for 2 Gold Lions, almost equivalent to what hunters earn over several months.


    Ave hadn''t even blinked when she slapped the scroll onto the man''s forehead earlier.


    How wealthy!


    Now Hagrid understood and asked, "Did you find any results from the investigation?"


    Ave replied, "He came from Riverside Town, cursed by witchcraft. The curse likely comes from the water source there, causing his internal organs to dissolve. That''s the cause of death."


    "Riverside Town!"


    Upon hearing these three words, Hagrid''s expression changed dramatically. He gritted his teeth and said, "The Baron wants to invite Miss Ave for a visit."


    "Since the Baron is asking for you, then I¡ª" Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''re coming too."


    Ave gripped Ethan''s shoulder, "You''re the town''s expert in the occult, we need your opinion."


    Ethan sighed resignedly, signaling Miss Keroy, who''d peeked her head out from behind the counter, to wait here.


    ...


    Baron Gledin owned an estate located north of Ximu Town. Many maids in black and white uniforms greeted Ethan with a respectful bow as he passed by.


    Two years after arriving in this world, Ethan experienced being surrounded by maids for the first time.


    Baron Gledin had been waiting in the main hall, once again wearing his perfectly tempered tailcoat, looking no different from when he gave speeches at the town square. His physique appeared somewhat thin, with a handlebar mustache, fitting Ethan''s stereotype of nobility. Upon seeing them enter, the pacing Baron finally relaxed, but then glanced curiously at Ethan, trailing behind the group.


    "Who''s this?"


    Before Ave could speak, Hagrid stepped forward and said, "This is Ethan, a scribe from the Guild who is well-versed in the occult. He''s my good buddy and should be able to help."


    The Baron nodded and said, "This is a traveling merchant who returned to the town this morning. He''s brought back some news about Riverside Town."


    Ethan then noticed another person in the room besides the Baron, mainly because the traveler''s positioning was quite awkward. His entire body was curled up into a ball, hugging his head, hiding behind the sofa, clearly greatly frightened, his body trembling constantly.


    Ethan could see the traveler was trying hard to make himself blend in like a inconspicuous mushroom.


    "Dead, all dead, all of them dead!"


    As he approached, he could hear the merchant''s murmurs.


    The Baron frowned and explained for the merchant, "When the merchant went to Riverside Town to stock up, he found everyone there dead."


    Ethan''s heart sank.


    When Ave used the ''Necromancy Scroll'', the corpse also murmured continuously, "They''re all dead," but Ethan subconsciously thought it referred to the man''s companions, the caravan being ambushed mid-route leading to all being killed. Such incidents weren''t uncommon in border towns, but the entire town being wiped out...


    That was truly terrifying.


    The thought of that night''s red moon crossed his mind; it seemed someone in the neighboring town was conducting a large-scale sacrificial ceremony, while he had thought he''d summoned wrath from heaven by continuously casting fireballs up the mountain!


    "When was the last time you visited Riverside Town?"


    Ave''s expression remained unchanged, her tone still calm.


    "Two, two days ago."


    She thought deeply, placing her hand on the traveling merchant''s shoulder, "Someone killed everyone in Riverside Town within two days. The bodies you saw had no external wounds but bled profusely, making a mess everywhere."


    The merchant finally lifted his head, staring at her in disbelief, "How, how do you know?"


    Ave revealed her conclusion, "They died from curse-killing. The town''s water source had a problem, and everyone who drank the water was cursed, explaining why everyone died within two days."


    A rather malicious curse, designed from the start to kill everyone, "Captain Hagrid, you need to investigate the town''s water source immediately."


    "But how can I determine?"


    Hagrid was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He knew he needed to do something but had no idea where to start.


    How exactly could he determine if Ximu Town''s water source was also cursed?


    Should he taste it himself? If he dropped dead like the residents of Riverside Town, it would confirm the water source was cursed?


    "Take this."


    Ave tossed him a palm-sized rhombus crystal and said, "If the crystal lights up, it means the water source has issues."


    "You must immediately do as Miss Ave instructed!"


    The Baron also immediately commanded, and after the guards left the manor in grandeur, the Baron, now pale, collapsed onto the couch in exhaustion. He adjusted his breathing, trying to make himself look as dignified as possible, until a few minutes later, he asked, "The curse you mentioned, is it similar to witchcraft?"


    "I didn''t specifically refer to witchcraft."


    Ave scrutinized Baron Gledin with sharp eyes, noticing clues from his unusual state, "But you seem certain it was the work of a witch. Can you tell me why?"

 Chapter 10: Dancing with the Evil God

    Chapter 10 - 10: Dancing with the Evil God"That was during my grandfather''s time."


    Baron Gledin hunched over, resting his chin on his hands, his eyes fixed on the coffee table as if his thoughts had drifted back to a long-ago. "He was a knight of the Kingdom Army, ordered to the border to eradicate a group of followers worshiping the Evil God Bajatos."


    Ethan had read this story; there was a book documenting this tale in the public library of Ximu Town, full of fairy tale-style writing, depicting three brave Kingdom Knights and an evil witch who sacrificed the small town''s residents to the Evil God.


    This was one of the first books Ethan had read to understand where he had crossed over to.


    Just like countless fairy tales, the three brave knights went through numerous hardships and eventually defeated the evil witch, bringing peace to the town. To commend the knights, the King bestowed titles upon them. Two decided to stay locally, one of whom was Baron Gledin''s grandfather, while the other remained in Riverside Town, contributing to its development and construction.


    The close interaction between the two towns was partly due to the old friendship between the two barons.


    "I''ve read that book."


    Ave spoke, not wanting to waste time on a story she had heard before, given the urgency of the moment. "Are there any details not mentioned in the book? Like whether the witch left behind descendants or apprentices?"


    "All followers related to the witch were executed. However, when they killed the witch, something strange happened... My grandfather revealed a secret in his twilight years. At that time, he was already somewhat incoherent, waking up from nightmares every day."


    Gledin''s face turned pale. He hesitated for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth and said, "After they defeated the witch, they beheaded her, but even headless, the witch lived for quite some time. She cursed the town, saying that someday she would return and kill everyone."


    "Nobody was braver than my grandfather. He dared to venture into the forest alone and face all the beasts."


    Gledin emphasized, seemingly defending the family''s honor, but soon his clenched fists loosened in defeat. "But he was scared out of his wits by the nightmares, screaming and rolling out of bed, brandishing his sword at the air, shouting ''She''s back.'' A few times, he even injured the servants who rushed in upon hearing the commotion. Before sleep, he had to place his sword by the bedside, yet despite this, he couldn''t endure long."


    His father locked away the news, and very few knew that the hero of Ximu Town died in fear and confusion in his later years.


    Baron Gledin lowered his head in despair. "But the witch''s curse continued. A few months later, my father was found drowned in the pond by the guards."


    This time, it was the entire Riverside Town''s turn.


    He couldn''t help but recall his grandfather''s cloudy eyes, the town''s hero losing courage, left only with fear and despair, muttering, "She''s back, we will all die."


    A bolt of lightning cut across the sky; dark clouds obscured the light, shrouding the town in gloom.


    This storm was truly fitting.


    Ethan''s spine tingled as the sudden lightning startled him.


    A resurrected witch and the mysterious demise of a town painted everything he saw with a sinister hue.


    "Do you think the witch did it?"


    Ave pondered for a moment, then turned to Ethan, "Ethan, what kind of witchcraft did she use?"


    "How would I know?"


    Ethan stared blankly, puzzled.


    The baron painted the witch like a ghost, which was quite scary.


    "Huh? Aren''t you an expert? There are even things in mystical knowledge you don''t know."


    "I''m just a scribe who''s read some books on the occult, I''ve never dealt directly with a witch... However, resurrection isn''t entirely impossible. In ''Understanding 100 Dark Creatures,'' it mentions that the Evil God Bajatos worshiped by witches symbolizes death and that His followers have profound research and understanding of death. The book also says that high-level witches can summon creatures from the Netherworld through contracts."


    Ethan glanced at Baron Gledin''s dejected state, reluctant to continue speaking.


    The book also mentions that the sacrifice ritual is a kind of contract, and Bajatos'' followers traded souls to Him for power. Thus, the worst-case scenario is that the witch has sacrificed all the Riverside Town residents to the Evil God.


    With such a large number of souls, she may be unbeatable now, right?


    Compared to a returning witch, Ethan would rather meet a ghost, as the book says ghosts only appear frightening but aren''t actually very dangerous.


    "It''s over; we''re doomed..."


    Baron Gledin trembled continuously, and Ethan felt that he was about to turn into a mushroom like the traveling merchant.


    The learned Ethan analyzed the predicament facing the town and made a difficult decision.


    Two years have passed; it''s time to leave the town and embark on a new adventure!


    From his observations, Miss Keroy possesses flying abilities, and with her strength, carrying him on the journey shouldn''t be a problem.


    As for Ximu Town, he wished the people here all the best.


    Ave suddenly spoke, "I know about your grandfather. He was an Empire-certified Tier Two Knight. After receiving the order, they went to the Empire''s border without hesitation."


    Ethan guessed that Ave was trying to inspire Baron Gledin, but unfortunately, her overly calm tone came off as sarcastic, making the baron even more depressed. The baron painfully covered his face and murmured, "Yes, if only I could be as brave and strong as my grandfather... He taught me swordsmanship and left the knight''s manual, but no matter what, I can''t become someone like him."


    "So, what do you plan to do?"


    The sudden question left the baron stunned. He stammered for a long time but could not utter a complete sentence.


    "You are the descendant of the town''s hero. The witch will not spare you no matter what. If you intend to do nothing and sit here waiting for her to kill you, I won''t waste any more time on you."


    Saying this, Ave turned to Ethan and said seriously, "Three Tier Two Knights accomplished it; why can''t we? Prepare in advance, set up traps, mobilize the hunters from the guild, and Miss Keroy can also help a lot... Ethan, you go and bring her back to the town."


    Ethan noticed Ave''s gaze passing over him, drifting towards the storm outside the window, as if she had already begun considering the town''s defenses.


    At least Ximu Town had a trustworthy sheriff. In this way, he could embark on his adventure with peace of mind.


    Moreover, just now, Ave had created the perfect opportunity for him.


    He would encounter a witch attack on his way to fetch Miss Keroy and meet misfortune. Even if he never returned to the town, he wouldn''t have to bear a bad reputation.


    Thinking of this, Ethan turned around.


    "Wait a minute."


    Ave suddenly called out to him, which made Ethan anxious. She was a clever person; could she have seen through his escape plan?


    He began introspecting, thinking he had agreed too hastily before. Faced with such a life-and-death crisis, he should show deep internal conflict, demonstrating great courage and determination to gain trust more easily.


    Amidst his thoughts, Ave had already come in front of him, unbuckling the revolver from her waist and placing it in his hands.


    "Don''t die on the road."


    The heavy weight left him somewhat dazed. It was his first time closely observing Ave''s revolver.


    Exquisite craftsmanship, with a family crest he had never seen before carved into the grip.


    Ethan did not expect to be in such a difficult position. He was going to flee, but if he took away Ave''s only possible weapon to turn the tide before leaving, it would be too inhumane.


    He didn''t want to get caught up in others'' disputes, nor did he want to cause harm, so he declined, "There''s no need for this."


    Ave was firm in her stance, urging with a frown, "Stop dawdling, hurry up and return quickly."


    In theory, Ave was a smart person.


    Just joining the Enlightenment Society was recognition of her intelligence, but Ethan had recently discovered that in some respects, this girl was bafflingly naive, easily handing her weapon over to an outsider.


    He believed there were many in the guild who could walk away with this gun without a second thought, sell it for a fortune on the black market, and live a life of leisure under a new identity.


    He could only guess that Ave hadn''t dealt much with real bad people growing up, which was somewhat unbelievable in this era.


    The same opportunity was right before Ethan.


    On the eve of departure, Ave even generously provided him with startup funds for his adventure.


    "Aren''t you afraid I''ll run off with your gun?"


    When he asked this, Ethan immediately regretted it. He wondered if Ave inadvertently pulled him down to her level.


    Upon receiving the hint, Ave suddenly understood, "Oh, right, there''s also that possibility."


    "I was just joking..."


    "If you''re going to run, then run far away, head to a big city. When you get there, find an officer, show him this gun, and tell him Ave-Margaret sent you. Tell him about Riverside Town and Ximu Town so he can dispatch the Kingdom Army to exterminate the witch."


    Ethan could hardly believe his ears. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And one more thing."


    Ave once again shot him a disdainful glance, "Don''t tell others the next time you plan to run, or you''ll get tied up."

 Chapter 11:

    Chapter 11 - 11: "3 KnightsAve-Margaret is not a normal person.


    Ethan was serious.


    He galloped through the torrential rain, thousands of thoughts flashing through his mind, from the mysterious Margaret Family to the barracks of Gear City, and then the officers there. What should he say when handing Ave''s revolver over to them?


    But then he thought of something else.


    What are the chances of successfully launching a sneak attack with ice arrows while hiding among the crowd when the witch and her minions invade? Theoretically, the witch, like him, belonged to the magic profession, and when faced with an unexpected attack, her frail body would become a burden, which was why she had once been beheaded by three Tier Two Knights.


    The witch probably didn''t know there was another person in the town who knew both the Fireball Skill and ice arrows. After all, Elemental Shapers were not common on this continent. Occupying the advantageous condition of a sneak attack, the odds of success seemed optimistic, except afterward Ave''s investigation might be troublesome. Followers of the God of Truth would find it hard to believe a witch was unluckily killed by hail as an excuse.


    Ethan couldn''t help but recall an old saying he had heard.


    All the friends who often kill know that it''s easier to kill someone than to dispose of the body. Although he had crossed over for two years, he was a total novice in the field of murder.


    When he dismissed the thirteenth reason, a wooden cabin in the woods appeared in his sight.


    Ethan quickly realized he no longer needed to trouble himself with reasons. He dismounted, only to immediately see Miss Keroy standing next to a woman in a black cloak, resting her hand on Keroy''s head. Miss Keroy was trembling uncontrollably, looking very uncomfortable.


    There were other visitors outside the cabin as well. Their clothing was much the same, belonging to those who would be suspected of wrongdoing just by walking on the street.


    The white horse traveling with him also noticed this, and as Ethan and this group of uninvited guests locked eyes, it bolted, disappearing into the depths of the torrential rain before he could call out to stop it.


    It seems the horse was in more of a hurry than he was to meet the Kingdom Army officer in Gear City.


    The worst-case scenario had come to pass.


    Before Ethan could join the main force of the town, the witch and her minions had already surrounded him. Their malevolent gazes had already considered him as the new sacrifice.


    But on the other hand, Ethan felt slightly relieved in his heart.


    At least now he no longer had to think about excuses to persuade Ave, nor estimate how many people might die in the town due to the disaster brought by the witch¡ªwhich he would have had to participate in later if he were to stay as the town''s clerk.


    Reluctantly curled up on the ground, Miss Keroy heard the noise from behind and her eyes lit up. Seizing the moment the woman''s attention shifted, she broke free from her hold and scurried over. She positioned herself in front of Ethan, bending over and emitting a low warning growl.


    "Go inside the cabin to avoid the rain, be careful of catching a cold."


    Ethan gently patted Miss Keroy''s head, who then looked up at him with a puzzled chirp.


    "Be good."


    "Goo."


    Miss Keroy shook her neck and walked towards the wooden cabin, turning back every few steps.


    "Oh? You didn''t try to run away?"


    The woman in the black cloak seemed surprised and said, "The reason I am here is because you took something of mine. I just didn''t expect that you would use it on a chicken... I can tell that chicken really likes you."


    "Her name is Keroy."


    As he approached, Ethan finally saw the face beneath the cloak. The familiar face left him in a daze for a while, blurting out, "How is it you?"


    "You know me?"


    "You''re Baron Bird''s daughter. We met at the Ximu Town party."


    The party was a fixed event between the two towns. Every harvest season, Baron Bird would bring his wife and children to Ximu Town to attend the party. Sadly, as the mayor of Riverside Town, he could no longer attend.


    Ethan remembered the girl named Becky because of her strange behavior at the party.


    While people in the town shared the joy of the harvest, she stayed alone in a corner, watching Baron Bird''s back with a creepy gaze.


    According to Baron Gledin''s description, the witch was an adult woman, even closer to the image of a hag. However, Becky looked like a girl barely over fifteen, the cloak loose on her form, her long hair wet, making her look very sloppy.


    "Oh, you''re talking about Becky, she''s a poor child."


    She grinned, revealing the same creepy smile that Ethan remembered, "Suffering from a severe illness since childhood, visited many doctors, yet all concluded she couldn''t live past ten. The sadder part is she had a foolish mother who sought help from the Evil God to keep her daughter alive."


    Ethan watched as she lifted her right hand, aiming her index finger at the flesh beneath her eye. Her sharp nail pierced into the flesh, crimson blood streaming down her face along the wound. "See, Becky is no longer here."


    Ethan felt a chill go up his spine; he found the witch somewhat perverted.


    "However, I don''t remember you."


    The witch shrugged.


    Ethan said, "That''s even better. I''m not someone worth remembering."


    "But you are from the town. I''ve heard there''s a sheriff in your town. How did she describe me to you?"


    "She said you were defeated by three Tier Two Knights once, and she could do the same."


    The witch''s face unsurprisingly turned grim, and she sneered, "Are you referring to those three who won by poisoning the water source and shamelessly depicted themselves as heroes?"


    "I always thought her plan was unreliable. The book ''The Three Knights'' clearly has issues!"


    Just now, due to Baron Gledin''s presence, Ethan couldn''t voice his suspicions.


    The book was written with detailed descriptions in many aspects, even mentioning how the three became knights and how they journeyed from the imperial capital to the frontier¡ªencountering strange tales along the way, compiled into small episodic stories. Ethan had enjoyed reading it until it described the knights'' battle with the witch when it abruptly ended poorly.


    It was like an online novel he had read before, where a substitute writer took over midway, and the plots of the war against the witch turned into trivialities, more like the author had a brainwave one afternoon.


    Given this world doesn''t contain phenomena like elongating word counts to earn manuscript fees, Ethan thought of a reason¡ªthe way the three knights defeated the witch was not conducive to promoting a heroic image, so it had to be "artistically" processed.


    But this indirectly caused a problem.


    The witch''s actual skills were much stronger than Ave deduced.


    The witch looked at Ethan, who remained silent for a long time. Her gaze shifted to the revolver at his waist, "Well? Are you planning to use it against me?"


    "Of course not. I''ve never used a gun."


    Ethan immediately denied it; he couldn''t place his hopes for survival on an unfamiliar tool.


    "This is a token of the capital''s nobles. That young lady cares about you very much. Are you her lover?"


    "I''m just a clerk temporarily recruited to investigate the case."


    "Then prove it to me."


    The witch smiled eerily, "That man over there is Baron Bird''s steward. To prove his loyalty to me, he personally poisoned the town''s water source with this."


    It was a gray pouch the size of a palm, exuding a pungent medicinal smell. The witch''s eyes shimmered with a ghostly green light, and her tone brimmed with temptation, just as described in the book, "She trusts you. This isn''t a difficult task for you. Curse them, and I''ll let you go, allow you to follow me, and even share our master''s power."


    This wasn''t a negotiation.


    Ethan noticed the movements of the witch''s followers; they had already blocked all escape routes. The consequences of refusal were obvious.


    This was definitely the most perilous job interview he had ever experienced, drenched by the rain, surrounded by the followers of the Evil God Bajatos. Any answer unsatisfactory to the interviewer could make him a sacrifice to Bajatos.


    "What is your goal?"


    Out of courtesy, he symbolically inquired about the job prospects.


    The witch, however, laughed heartily as if hearing something amusing, seemingly untouched by anyone asking her that before, "Goal? Of course, to kill everyone in our way."


    At least regarding the witch''s depiction, ''The Three Knights'' hadn''t strayed too far from reality. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The witch raised her voice, "Tell me, what''s your answer?"

 Chapter 12: Aftermath

    Chapter 12 - 12: Aftermath"What, is there someone in town you care about? Or is it just a hurdle in your heart you can''t get over?"


    The witch asked.


    Her followers burst into laughter, especially the baron Bird''s housekeeper she named laughed particularly loudly, his cloak-covered face full of madness, eyes wide open, mouth agape, Ethan was genuinely worried he''d laugh himself breathless.


    He speculated this might be an unusual initiation ceremony.


    The witch''s followers had all experienced such a process.


    "Since that''s the case, let me help you. See this rain? It''s a gift I''ve prepared for the town."


    The witch extended her right hand, letting the rain accumulate in her palm, "I heard your sheriff is an Enlightenment Society graduate, she must have already investigated that Riverside Town''s water source had issues, now she should be mobilizing the entire town''s forces against me, right? But the only water that can bear a curse is not just your drinking water, though its effect is not so obvious, it can make them experience the pain of their bodies decaying little by little."


    She emphasized, "Yes, everyone you know will ultimately die, the only difference is how long the painful process lasts. Actually, by doing this, you''re helping them to be freed. You wouldn''t want them to struggle in despair for too long, would you?"


    The witch''s voice was drowned out by the rain and wild laughter, the surrounding laughter gradually turned into beast-like roars.


    Ethan glanced at Baron Bird''s housekeeper, this fifty-year-old man laughed as if he was angry.


    This was why Ethan didn''t like going out.


    He was in a world fraught with danger, so dangerous that if you try to step out of town, you''d sooner or later be surrounded by a group of Evil God''s Followers or dark creatures. In fact, in his imagination, such a scene had already occurred countless times, only this time it was happening right in front of him.


    The good news was he had plenty of time to think.


    He was sorting through his current predicament.


    An evil witch made her comeback through Baron Bird''s daughter, planning to kill everyone in town with a rainstorm, indicating she''s at least a third-rank Transcendent.


    Rank three is the threshold people draw, someone who crosses this threshold has already transcended the realm of humanity, becoming an existence beyond ordinary comprehension.


    In other words, he was facing an Evil God''s follower with a group of followers, who was eager for revenge against Ximu Town.


    The three heroes who once defeated her were dead, their descendants were incapable of taking up the mantle.


    Therefore, Ximu Town''s fate was sealed¡ªto be destroyed by the Evil God''s Followers, all souls offered as sacrifices to the Evil God Bajatos.


    The extremely unfavorable situation left Ethan with no choice, all past thoughts only led to the same conclusion.


    ¡ªNo witnesses can be left.


    The weak body of a magic profession determined he couldn''t expose himself openly, becoming a target for others'' schemes.


    So from now on, he had to start considering the aftermath.


    "Where are you going?"


    The witch asked in surprise, Ethan''s reaction caught her off guard, he didn''t respond but turned his head, walking towards the rain-shrouded cabin.


    This was one of her favorite programs.


    She was very fond of the process of a person being crushed by despair, becoming a puppet who only listened to her instructions¡ªeveryone here was like that.


    "To fetch a jar."


    A response came from the rain.


    "What are you going to do with the jar?"


    "The weather forecast said there''d be hail today."


    Hail?


    Is he scared silly, or emotionally collapsed due to despair?


    Boring.


    "You¡ª"


    The command stopped abruptly, the witch gasped suddenly, and the ripping pain made her grit her teeth, she stared at her raised palm blankly, a hole somehow appeared in her palm, the rainwater accumulated there ran down through the pierced part, reintegrating with the storm.


    The bone-chilling cold rushed from the wound to her entire body, the wound didn''t bleed, icing over the moment it was pierced.


    Elemental Shaper!?


    An absurd thought emerged.


    Why would an Elemental Shaper appear in such a godforsaken place?


    Why didn''t she see any chanting or spell-casting process at all?


    Everything happened in the blink of an eye, not giving her a chance to think, she saw Ethan only took two steps forward, then all the laughter disappeared, those laughing a moment ago fell forward, when the witch looked closely, she noticed their bodies were covered with fist-sized wounds.


    Tearing skin, breaking bones, enough to plunge any person with trypophobia into terror.


    They still maintained smiles, as if unaware of their own deaths.


    The same was happening to her.


    She suddenly recalled the night of the blood moon when the meteor fell from the clouds, an untimely natural disaster interrupted the ritual, allowing Ximu Town to linger for a few days.


    Now looking back...


    Was that someone releasing magic?


    What a joke!


    What a joke!


    She took a step forward, losing support as her body fell straight into the mud soaked by rain.


    "Thud¡ª"


    ...


    This is the consequence of a magic profession exposing themselves openly.


    Outside the cabin, all noises vanished, leaving only the patter of rain.


    "Miss Keroy, could you help me bring over that jar over there?"


    "Guh!"


    This was the largest jar in the cabin, originally used for storing sundries, Ethan cleared out the dusty items inside, piling them on the table, then put a parchment on it, writing Becky''s name with a pen.


    Then Baron Bird''s housekeeper. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ethan explained to the head-tilting Miss Keroy, imparting the crafting technique, "This is a tradition from my homeland, used to honor the spirits of the dead, burning the deceased into ashes, then placing the ashes into a container for burial at a fengshui treasure site."


    In his view, Fireball Skill and Ice Arrow have many uses.


    Lighting, getting rid of cold, dissipating heat, or creating water sources, it can bring convenience to daily life, he particularly dislikes using magic for combat, like changing the form of rain, making it hail, this is a change brought by entry-level Ice Arrow, but this also means he has to handle after matters for people again.


    Fireball Skill can effectively erase the traces of those people''s existence.


    "Miss Keroy, I have a key question to ask you."


    Ethan''s pen stopped, eyes deep.


    "Guh?"


    Miss Keroy stiffened her body, appearing a bit nervous.


    "Besides Becky and the housekeeper, what are the names of the others?"


    Due to the sudden situation and forced circumstances, he forgot to ask each person''s name, causing significant difficulty in handling after matters.


    Miss Keroy first returned his gaze with a confused look, then uneasily looked around, it seemed to be a difficult task for her too.


    The stalemate lasted nearly two minutes.


    "I know now."


    Ethan resumed writing, adding other victims'' names afterward.


    Housekeeper B, Housekeeper C, Housekeeper D...


    He was deeply grieved.


    Miss Becky and her seven old housekeepers rest here in peace.

 Chapter 13: Career Planning

    Chapter 13 - 13: Career Planning¡ºIce Arrow (Beginner): Proficiency: 24/75¡»


    The witch is a transcendent of third rank or above, her power is undeniable, providing a full 15 points of proficiency for the Ice Arrow!


    This battle left Ethan severely wounded, and as Miss Keroy carried him back to the town, the witch''s curse had already taken effect on him.


    He caught a cold.


    It turns out, getting soaked in the rain does indeed lead to a cold.


    Especially since he had used the Ice Arrow, significantly increasing his risk of catching a chill.


    He left the town''s guards behind, returned to his room to hang up his soaked clothes, dried his hair and body, then lay down on the bed and wrapped himself completely in the blanket. Given the limited medical conditions of this era and his being in a remote town, the best remedy was to sleep it off.


    He slept like the dead, dreaming of many bizarre things.


    He dreamed of a fortune-walking elegantly down the town''s street. The white cat did not notice his presence, turning into the alley. When Ethan followed her into the alley, he was met with a startling scene.


    The white cat leapt off the wall and transformed into a white-haired girl right before his eyes.


    Then Ethan woke up.


    First of all, he was not some furry enthusiast, that needed to be clarified.


    He looked at the unfamiliar ceiling, feeling the warm and comfortable mattress, with a faint fragrance lingering on the pillow. Shortly after, the aroma of meat soup wafted through the air.


    "Drink it while it''s hot."


    Ethan looked in the direction of the voice to see the white-haired girl from his dream had turned into Ave with a cowlick on her head, holding a bowl of steaming meat soup in her hands, and an open cookbook on her knees, detailing the recipe for making meat soup.


    She wore a loose purple silk gown, giving her a much softer appearance.


    Ave commented, "Although it''s my first time making it, the steps are much simpler than those in the society''s lab class. I''ve tasted it, and there''s no problem with the flavor."


    Ethan belatedly realized he was in the girl''s boudoir. The white lace curtain above was full of romantic flair, making him feel as if he had traveled from a brutal primitive society into a civilized society. All the furniture in the bedroom was made from oak, carved with artistically aesthetic patterns.


    A large bed, a wardrobe, a dressing table, and a mirror. Conservatively estimated, Ave''s bedroom matched the area of half a floor of a guild.


    He took the bowl hesitantly, noticing that Ave had added quite a bit of seasoning to it, even picking up the scent of pepper, a rarity in Ximu Town. To purchase it, one had to visit the town''s large merchant guild, but the supply was scarce and not always available. For people like him working for a living, it was an unaffordable luxury.


    Ave truly comes from a wealthy family.


    But before he could even take a bite, a warm and smooth palm rested atop his head, gently stroking before moving to his chin.


    "What are you doing?"


    "The book says it can help you relax."


    "Which book is that?"


    "''The Guide to Large Animal Care''. It''s the only book on my shelf. I''ve never taken care of anyone before, so I crammed some theoretical knowledge."


    Ethan''s eyelid twitched a few times. "Do I look like a large animal to you?"


    "Not really," Ave said. "Based on your size, you''re more of a medium to small-sized animal, but the care technique should be universal."


    "Isn''t there another possibility that I''m a human?"


    "Does it feel uncomfortable?"


    Ave moved her hand away in confusion, gently scratching her own chin. Her face remained unchanged, yet the golden cowlick atop her head curled up contentedly. "I think it''s fine."


    It seemed she had practiced the chin-scratching technique seriously before he woke up.


    "It''s not about comfort."


    Ethan now felt the room was filled with an air of conspiracy. As Ave mentioned, being a noble lady, she was always cared for by servants; where would there be a chance for her to make meat soup for anyone? When something out of the ordinary happens, there''s always a reason. And his current state was unusually abnormal; here he was, shirtless, appearing in Ave''s boudoir. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Could it be that he''s about to be accused of some offense against a noble lady and dragged out by the guards to be executed?


    Until he could determine Ave''s intentions, the meat soup was something he definitely could not drink. "You might as well just say what you want."


    "This incident made me realize that one''s power is always limited. I need an assistant."


    Ave said, "All the detectives I know have an assistant. You''re the most suitable candidate. Do you have any intention of changing jobs from the Hunter''s Guild?"


    "Why me?"


    "Because you didn''t run off with my gun, demonstrating your courage, and you''re smarter than the other folks in town." She thought for a moment and added, "The Wolf Chicken made gestures, implying you encountered the witch''s followers halfway and fought alongside her, breaking through the encirclement."


    This was the story Ethan had instructed Miss Keroy to give to dispel Ave''s suspicions.


    Ave continued, "If you work for me, the benefits I offer would definitely be much better than the Hunter''s Guild."


    "Sounds tempting, but sorry, it''s not in line with my career plan."


    Ethan admitted that the large house and generous pay were tempting, but reason held him back. In this era, getting involved with high nobility was definitely not a wise choice. He knew nothing about Ave''s family, and while today he may be the detective''s assistant, who knows if he will be dragged into family disputes tomorrow.


    "Can you tell me about your career plan?"


    "To become a formal member of the Reception Bureau."


    This was Ethan''s long-term career plan. To this end, he collected a lot of information about the Reception Bureau, and over the past two years, he had sent three self-recommendation letters to Gear City''s Reception Bureau, but they all disappeared into the void like the resumes he sent when he first graduated from university.


    The position of the Guild''s scribe was a fallback option. Although it allowed some contact with events involving mysticism, most of the time was spent on mundane and repetitive chores.


    The Reception Bureau was the ideal work environment. It was the empire''s institution most closely related to cases involving mysticism and was not under the control of nobility or the church. Once employed at the Reception Bureau, becoming a clerical worker would allow him to learn about cases happening throughout the empire without having to leave his home.


    Ethan had studied it carefully and found that the Reception Bureau had an intelligence department stationed at the rear, with work content somewhat similar to that of a scribe. That was his ideal place to go.


    Informed, leisurely work, and most importantly, safe.


    Imperial government personnel, with a job for life.


    The bad news was that the nobles in the imperial capital knew it was a good position too.


    Based on Ethan''s past experience, these positions were breeding grounds for nepotism, making it very difficult for someone from the lower class like him to break in.


    Ethan had also considered trying his luck in Gear City, but poverty deterred him; he hadn''t saved enough to live in a big city yet. Going to Gear City rashly would mean either becoming homeless or forced by circumstances to work in a factory screwing nuts.


    He had to bide his time for now.


    While practicing the Fireball Skill, he''s also accumulated two years of experience working as a scribe, preparing the funds necessary to start living in a big city. He would ask the Guild president for a recommendation letter then.


    Whether in magic or career, he was steadily advancing.


    "You want to become a formal member of the Reception Bureau?"


    "It might sound overambitious to you, but that''s the direction I''m working towards."


    "I wasn''t mocking you."


    Ave paused and said, "I just wanted to tell you that I know the current director of the Reception Bureau."

 Chapter 14: Dark Great Mage

    Chapter 14 - 14: Dark Great Mage"What do you mean by that?"


    Ethan''s breathing became rapid, and speaking also became difficult.


    Ave replied, "I mean it literally. If I send a letter, transferring you to work in the intelligence department of the Reception Bureau shouldn''t be a problem. As far as I know, it''s not a difficult place to get into."


    That day, Ethan witnessed the darkness of the imperial capital firsthand.


    In his plan, he still needed three years to save enough money to rent a place in Gear City. By then, he would have accumulated five years of work experience, and if he was lucky enough, the guild master''s recommendation letter could have some influence. After becoming a formal employee of the Reception Bureau, he''d have to start from the grassroots level. Usually, newcomers would be assigned to border towns, and if they performed well and earned appreciation from their superiors, there''d be a chance for a transfer back to headquarters.


    Another five or six years or so.


    And all of this hinged on being lucky enough. In reality, the work of low-level intelligence personnel wasn''t that safe either. They frequently needed to handle cursed objects, and if a major case occurred in the town during their tenure, they''d have to be on the frontline at the scene of the anomaly.


    Ten years of hard work, coupled with ancestral luck, was nothing more than the weight of a letter for Ave.


    Too dark!


    It''s even darker than the Evil God''s Followers!


    Ethan often felt that he wasn''t dark enough to fit in with this world, and it''s no wonder he often heard people in his former life chanting slogans like "I don''t want to work hard anymore."


    He gazed deeply at Ave. Clearly, she inherited the fine lineage of a noble, young, and beautiful, possibly the most beautiful woman in Ximu Town, with a great figure, and most importantly, a kind heart.


    "Lady Ave, we''ve worked together for some time now."


    To show his resolve, he picked up the bowl and drank the broth in one go.


    Actually, he always believed he had the potential to become a Dark Great Mage, just lacking an opportunity. "Look, I didn''t run away with your gun, which shows I''m brave, and I''m a bit smarter than the others in town."


    These were Ave''s original words.


    "If you have something to say, just say it. Why are you rubbing your hands together?"


    Ave frowned. After Ethan put the bowl down, he looked like he was up to no good. Moreover, he was shirtless, making it quite unsightly. "Do you want me to write a recommendation letter for you?"


    "I''ve always felt that I''m not worse than those people, just lacking a platform."


    "What''s in it for me?"


    "If I make a name for myself at the Reception Bureau, everyone will know you have the insight to discover talents from an unnoticed border city."


    Ethan believed this might be what people called a life-changing opportunity, but he was pessimistic about the outcome for a simple reason: as Ave just pointed out, he couldn''t provide value to her or the Margaret Clan at the moment. He could only resort to painting a big picture, "Think of it as an investment for the future?"


    He believed he could make an impact in the reception bureau''s intelligence department, not out of blind confidence, but because there were too many people not doing their jobs in that department. Even someone showing up on time could be seen as a dedicated employee.


    "Then prove it to me."


    "How to prove it?"


    "While you were asleep, the bureau''s agents already took away the cursed objects. They learned about the destruction of Riverside Town and mentioned that the frequency of recent anomalous incidents is increasing. The headquarters has plans to establish an intelligence station in border towns ¡ª since you don''t want to be my assistant, then be my colleague."


    Ave said, "Starting today, I''m the station chief, and you''re the investigator."


    "Is this station of yours legit?"


    Ethan expressed doubt, finding Ave''s words too easy-going and a bit suspicious.


    After all, this wasn''t about slipping people into the logistics department but actually establishing a frontline station. Even if the headquarters had such plans, they wouldn''t leave it to a connected yet idle noble descendant.


    "It''s definitely legit."


    "Is there an official position? It won''t be an intern or a dispatched worker, right? Does the headquarters recognize it?"


    "Yes."


    Ave''s face remained unchanged.


    Although there isn''t one now, there''s nothing that can''t be solved with a letter, "An official investigator ID card, a complete performance evaluation system, and you can participate in quarterly evaluations. I''ll be staying in Ximu Town for a while, and as long as you perform adequately during this time, I''ll write a recommendation letter to get you transferred to headquarters."


    Ethan thought about it.


    Ave had previously given him the gun, and despite knowing he had a risk of fleeing, she chose to trust him.


    If they worked together, she would probably be a good leader.


    "Deal, oops, I mean, I''ll work hard."


    Good leaders are hard to find these days, let alone one connected to the current director of the Reception Bureau.


    Not being able to achieve immediate success isn''t dark enough, but at least it could save Ethan a few years of effort and eliminate the luck factor. He''d never been particularly lucky; after all, how many lucky ones end up in such a crisis-ridden world.


    After all, there''s no comparison without feeling the pinch; his previous life wasn''t exactly satisfying but not to the point where he worried about kidnappings or assassinations every time he went out.


    Provided Ave wasn''t deceiving him.


    Ethan wondered if a noble lady of such stature would deceive a poor fellow like him?


    Margaret.


    He silently recited Ave''s surname, feeling a bit familiar. When he reached the sixth repetition, he suddenly jolted, giving his thigh a hard slap, which startled the fluff on top of Ave''s head, silently cursing at him.


    He thought of a name.


    Queen Diana-Margaret.


    "May I ask, is Queen Diana..."


    Ave didn''t answer, replying coldly, "In the future, don''t mention my surname outside."


    "Got it, boss."


    That''s what Ethan said with his lips, but inside, he wondered if this noble lady had secretly run away from home?


    "And don''t call me boss. During work, you must use code names. I haven''t received mine yet."


    Ethan understood.


    He had done his homework beforehand. Every full-time staff member in the Reception Bureau was assigned a code name to protect their confidentiality due to the special nature of their work, ensuring their families wouldn''t be targeted. However, in recent years, with more employees, the code names have become increasingly peculiar.


    "No problem, ''My Issue'' lady!"


    The code name was too long; Ethan thought shortening it by three characters would make it more catchy.


    "Hiss!"


    Ave took a sharp breath. Her previously expressionless face showed some ripples, and Ethan saw her lifting her right hand several times, approximating the Nine Yin White Bone Claw gesture. Noble etiquette prevented her from clawing this vicious move onto his forehead. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ethan heard Ave''s voice, as if she would clench her teeth to pieces, for the first time, "I meant our ID cards haven''t been sent over yet; we don''t have code names now!"


    Her chest heaved violently, taking a full minute to suppress the urge to slap Ethan to death.


    Ave felt like her teeth were about to be crushed. "I see your illness has almost healed. You can start working this afternoon."


    The new station setup inevitably required acquiring basic facilities, "Change into your clothes; we''ll head to Fireplace Bay soon."


    (Please support with a follow-up read; next week, we''ll be testing the waters with a limited release, and the follow-up data is crucial. Thanks, everyone~)

 Chapter 15: Gentleman (Thanks to the alliance leader of Kaliya Chief~)

    Chapter 15 - 15: Gentleman (Thanks to the alliance leader of Kaliya Chief~)Fireplace Bay, a pleasure to meet you.


    Over the past two years, Ethan has heard about this place more than once, sometimes when Guild Hunters bragged, other times from the rumors brought back by visiting merchants. The common thread is that everyone who mentions Fireplace Bay is filled with endless fantasies.


    As long as you can pay the price, you can buy anything at Fireplace Bay, even the key to unlock the doors to the extraordinary path.


    Its another name is the black market, and unfortunately, Ethan has never been to Fireplace Bay.


    The reason is simple¡ªthere is no ship that can take him to Fireplace Bay.


    The black market requires an entrance ticket, and for a small figure like him from a border town, it''s hard to be taken seriously. But now things are different; he has become an official of the Empire.


    A white shirt, a gray tie, and a large black coat, dressed like a gentleman from high society.


    Ethan is no stranger to the gentleman identity; back in his previous life when he was at university, he was given this title at school. No one understood better than him what a true gentleman should do.


    Step one, download a ZIP file named "Gentleman MOD" from the website.


    Step two, leave a comment in the comment section saying, "Thanks for sharing, may you have peace all your life."


    Step three, share the downloaded file with roommates.


    Don''t underestimate these three steps, as they display a gentleman''s intelligence gathering ability, benevolent spirit, and a penchant for sharing, which not only made him a gentleman in people''s eyes but also allowed him to play the role of father for his roommates for a long time.


    Until close to graduation, when his roommates discovered the last file he shared, a compressed file of over 30 gigabytes of "Society and Law" series, and he was stripped of the titles "gentleman" and "father."


    But Ethan thinks this just truly reflects the weight of a "father."


    After graduation, everyone heads their separate ways, moving towards the workplace.


    This society is varied in human hearts; never trust others lightly, even if they are often respected as a father.


    This is... the final lesson!


    Ethan faced himself in the mirror, carefully adjusting his tie''s position. This was the first time he seriously examined himself after two years of traversing worlds. The saying goes, "Clothes make the man." The previous clothes were too shabby, even Yan Zu would lose charm in civilian attire.


    "Hmm, not bad."


    The reflection of Ave in the mirror crossed her arms and commented, "Looks like a human being at least."


    "Actually, if you don''t want to praise me, you don''t have to."


    Ave''s serious expression made Ethan find it difficult to imagine what his earlier image was in her eyes. He felt that was Ave''s own issue. Being born in a wealthy family, and seeing handsome men and beautiful women in the capital, it was normal to be high-nosed. He was quite satisfied with his official attire, at least in a small place like Ximu Town, it''s highly competitive.


    "Take this, remember, when you get to Fireplace Bay, don''t let anyone know your name."


    Ave handed over a masquerade mask, urging Ethan to put it on. She prepared a full-cover mask for herself, revealing only a pair of eyes, with short golden hair tucked into a top hat and a noticeably oversized black coat to make herself look like a real Reception Bureau investigator.


    Ethan suspected the oversized coat was meant to disguise her gender features, but overall it wasn''t very effective because even the most seasoned warrior of the Kingdom Army would find it hard to forge muscle to Ave''s size.


    "Walk and talk."


    Ave walked briskly towards the door, "Here''s what to note about Fireplace Bay. The person we''re meeting today is called Mugram, a black market merchant frequently dealing with the Reception Bureau. However, don''t let your guard down because of this, and don''t be deceived by his appearance. Every merchant in Fireplace Bay will squeeze out all your worth with a smile."


    Ethan nodded.


    Swindlers, huh, they''re not uncommon these days.


    "Moreover, don''t casually talk to strangers there; a little carelessness can plunge you into an irredeemable situation."


    ?


    This felt a bit over the top, so he had to confirm with Ave again, "Let me ask first, we''re just going to buy something, right?"


    He found it hard to imagine what kind of environment would make buyers disappear.


    "That''s right."


    "There... isn''t good law enforcement?"


    "Fireplace Bay is Lofic Consortium''s territory; no one causes trouble there. I mean keep your desires in check, or you''ll pay for it."


    "You can be one hundred percent assured."


    Ethan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, fearing there were kidnappers in Fireplace Bay. As for desires, they were easy to suppress, "Haven''t you heard the saying? Poverty makes one clean and desireless."


    Ave''s expression became intricate once again.


    That was a provocative glance like one would have toward a fledgling; even through a mask, he could imagine her expression at this moment¡ªso in need...of disciplining!


    "Ah, surely here it comes."


    Ethan seriously suspected this mask was allowing Ave to unleash herself; her voice line had turned into an imps'' matching tone, "Someone of your kind is the easiest to be deceived. In Fireplace Bay, money isn''t the only bargaining chip; your eyes, blood, limbs, organs, even your whole being can be used as chips, and people will lend you money to easily realize your deepest desires."


    "I understand the logic, but what''s with your voice?"


    Ethan had a different view. He thought that rather than himself, the true danger was evident in Ave herself.


    Her current shrill-speaking voice line was most likely to stir others'' desires; if she uses this tone when talking in Fireplace Bay, things will move in an unpredictable direction.


    "It''s the mask''s disguise."


    Ethan still wanted to say something, but the scene along the road stunned him.


    Ave led him twisting and turning along the street, coming to this familiar place, with the town still under the witch''s vigilance everyone had gone home early, and they hadn''t encountered any pedestrians along the way.


    He had been here before.


    In a dream.


    At that time, he stood opposite the street and saw Fortune Walk gracefully into the depths of an alley, disappearing from his sight at the next corner.


    "Turn left."


    Ave reminded him.


    This was the corner where Fortune disappeared. When he followed to this point, he witnessed a strange scene.


    He saw Fortune jump off the wall and transform into a white-haired girl, disappearing in front of the mailbox in the blink of an eye.


    "Where is this?"


    "Fireplace Bay''s magic node in Ximu Town."


    Ave walked towards the mailbox, placed her leather-gloved left hand inside and said, "Watch closely, I''ll demonstrate only once."


    She took out a parchment, pressing her forefinger onto the top right corner, slowly sliding towards the center. Her forefinger outlined a shallow contour on the parchment, seemingly like a coastline, with the edge revealing many place names. When Ave''s forefinger paused in the center, the pattern of an old sailing ship appeared.


    Ethan found it difficult to maintain focus because he noticed something strange emerging from the parchment.


    A fingernail-sized yellow dot of light.


    Ave seemed oblivious to it, and the yellow dot was uninterested in her too, floating like a firefly directly towards Ethan, forcing him to shift his gaze from the parchment, looking at the dot that landed on his nose.


    Watery coolness, itchy on the nose.


    "You must concentrate, ensuring the line is correct. Once it deviates, being teleported to strange places I can''t save you. Remember, Mugram''s shop is located¡ª"


    "Achoo!"


    The fully focused Ave was startled by the sudden sneeze, her hand shaking sharply against the parchment. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You damn¡ª!"


    The voice abruptly stopped, Ethan watching Ave''s body twisted into a mass, absorbed into the mailbox''s small space.


    Ethan scratched his nose; with the earth-shattering sneeze, the yellow dot of light had also vanished.


    Clearly, Ave''s teleportation spell had taken effect.


    But...


    Didn''t the young lady curse him as she was teleported away?

 Chapter 16: Fair to All

    Chapter 16 - 16: Fair to AllEthan saw Ave''s body get swept into the mailbox, but based on his own experience, the teleportation process was painless. His vision blurred for a moment before he found himself at a mysterious dock where several multi-masted sailing ships with griffin figureheads were moored. The sails had already been furled, and on the ship''s rails, sailors were wiping ropes and decks with cloths, their faces also concealed by decorations.


    His gaze turned towards the stern of the ship, where the flag of the caravan was waving, its griffin emblem vividly lifelike. The flag fluttered in the breeze. In the Empire, the griffin was a symbol of nobility and honor and represented the illustrious history of the Lofic Consortium. Starting as bankers, they gained vast wealth during the last great catastrophe, wielding influence across political, economic, promotional, and religious fields. Their presence was ubiquitous on every piece of imperial land, even in remote towns like Ximu Town.


    People said that a town could have no occult organizations, but it could not be without banks.


    The dock was bustling, filled with guests in bizarre costumes. Masks and veils were the most common decorations. Some had their faces wrapped in bandages, while others painted their entire bodies like circus clowns. The diverse attire made Ethan realize that many were probably not locals.


    The other end of the dock connected to a small town shrouded in twilight, with the entrance guarded by Lofic Consortium''s security force, consisting of knights and gunners. Ethan observed that only a few guests approached the town. Before entering, they presented an identification document to the guards and underwent a strict body search.


    From the luggage they carried and the jewelry they wore, it was clear they held extraordinary status, obviously VIP10 and above in heavy investment.


    It was evident to Ethan that it was not a place for someone like him with zero investment. He was well aware of this.


    However, no one noticed the continuous reassembling and dissipating yellow light dots outlining the shape of a door. All the guests emerged from that door.


    Ethan saw the trajectory of magic power flow.


    This was an ingenious teleportation magic set by a formidable being, one that even ordinary people, not yet in the extraordinary realm, could use.


    Teleportation magic was in the top three on Ethan''s wish list. It only took one thought to be instantly teleported from one end of the city to the other. For someone in his previous life working as an employee, there was no magic more alluring than this. It meant he could skip the commute and sleep an extra half hour in the morning!


    Regrettably, although theoretically, both magicians and Elemental Shapers used magic power, their belief systems were entirely different. Magicians worshipped the God of Trickery and were mostly born into ancient and mysterious families, learning magic from an early age. To someone like him, who took up the craft halfway, it was somewhat too late.


    This was also why Ethan had been contemplating leaving Ximu Town.


    The town''s library was filled with popular science books, which only vaguely helped him understand the path of the extraordinary or the types of dark creatures. There were no guides on practical application. The only somewhat useful book he had was a copy of "Fireball and Ice Arrow Magic Power Learning" dug out two years ago from somewhere by a friend.


    Ethan desperately needed a book like "Teach You a Hundred Little Magics," but such books were mostly only available in the libraries of large cities. One might even need to join organizations like the Reception Bureau to qualify for viewing it. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maybe, Fireplace Bay...


    Ethan shook his head, quickly dismissing the wicked thoughts from his mind.


    Ave had warned him before leaving that if he harbored desire in such a place, it would be the beginning of falling into an abyss without redemption. Fireplace Bay surely had what he wanted, but it still came down to that ancient yet classic question.


    But, what is the price?


    Everything in the world with a hint of the extraordinary sees its value skyrocket.


    Obviously, not everyone has a sense of crisis, as he noticed, even through their disguised faces, many had greedy and fervent eyes.


    So, the question came.


    Where was Ave?


    Ethan waited at the dock for nearly ten minutes but did not see Ave. If he remembered correctly, this lady had warned him while performing the teleportation magic not to wander around Fireplace Bay.


    When he wanted to ask passersby if they had seen Ave, he paused.


    In the absence of mentioning Ave''s name or accurately describing her features, how was he supposed to inquire where this lady had gone?


    Could he really approach and ask if anyone had seen a mysterious masked woman who sounded mischievous?


    But soon, Ethan even dismissed the idea of asking for directions.


    He was not the only novice at Fireplace Bay. Before him, there was an anxious young man dressed in a cheap formal suit, frantically searching through the crowd, his emotions on the brink of collapse.


    The onlookers, seeing his plight, were empathetic and more than willing to offer him guidance.


    Three Gold Lions for directions, five Gold Lions for help finding someone, no bargaining.


    Why don''t you just go rob someone?


    Ethan mentally conducted a soul-searching on behalf of the young man against this profit-driven crowd. After all, in a place like Ximu Town, one Gold Lion could ensure a comfortable life for a month.


    The young man demonstrated the results of asking for directions in Fireplace Bay, letting him know that he could only rely on himself in this ghostly place.


    Mugram was the name of the shop owner.


    Although the young man couldn''t finish speaking before breaking off, the important information had already been conveyed. Mugram''s shop was in one of the merchant ships.


    As long as he wandered around these ships, he should be able to find it. Maybe Ave had already arrived at the shop and started selecting items.


    However, Ethan clearly underestimated the dangers of Fireplace Bay.


    The young man ahead of him, victimized again, climbed onto the first ship with a pale face. While he was engulfed in darkness and dismay, an enthusiastic middle-aged man approached him, starkly contrasting with the previously indifferent bystanders.


    "Don''t worry, you''ll find it. This is Fireplace Bay; everything you want can be found here."


    He offered the young man an ice-cold beer, "Drink it up, this''ll help you rally!"


    Ethan watched the young man''s eyes beneath the mask, like a drowning man grasping at the last straw for life.


    With trembling hands, the young man took the beer and drank it in one go.


    He regained his confidence, his eyes once again shining bright.


    "Thank you, thank you so much, I will never forget your kindness!"


    "No need for thanks,"


    The middle-aged man smiled, shaking his head and extending his right hand, "Just pay for the beer, 1 Gold Lion, thank you for your patronage."


    "Huh?"


    "This was brewed by a master brewer from Windless City, using premium hops and wheat. This master craftsmanship can only be tasted in Fireplace Bay."


    The burly men emerging from the crowd sharply contrasted the cheerful smile, surrounding the young man who was at a loss.


    "Besides Gold Lions, we also accept collateral: eyes, blood, kidneys. Did you know a person can survive with just one kidney? If you don''t want to pawn anything, you can borrow money over there, the interest is 45%, very fair."

 Chapter 17: Reception Bureau鈥檚 Strict Selection

    Chapter 17 - 17: Reception Bureau''s Strict SelectionThe youth''s misfortune left Ethan dumbfounded; isn''t this the old-time wine trap of a new era?


    Backward times and yet advanced technology, which skipped the cumbersome drinking process and made the customer part with 1 Gold Lion in just three sentences!


    Ethan mingled among the crowd for a while as a bystander, seeing the youth led away by brawny men, the wine trap leading them to high-interest loans. Borrowing a quick loan of 1 Gold Lion that was immediately taken by the wine trap left the youth feeling utterly dejected. His eyes were dull, and he was like a puppet forced to grin.


    He had already given up.


    Ethan further realized the terrors of Fireplace Bay, which made his mood gloomy. It wasn''t only for the unknown youth before him but also for his ''free browsing skills book'' plan. Initially, he planned to look without buying at a bookstore, but the danger level of Fireplace Bay merchants suggested that even touching the book''s cover might force him to buy the book.


    Forget about it.


    Ethan moved with the crowd on the merchant ship, observing and roughly understanding the ship''s layout, the ship''s deck belonged to the tourist area, stalls were temporary, selling a variety of goods from food to wine, and exotic items. The ship''s managers charged these vendors 10 Gold Lions per day as venue fees.


    Fixed stores were all located inside the cabins, far more organized compared to the chaotic tourist area.


    Scroll shop, magic potion store, and an information-buying tavern.


    Of course, if a guest wished, they could also indulge in some fun, as Ethan was stopped by a veiled woman in a dancer''s dress during his tour.


    1 Gold Lion to see her true face and more paid services inside the room.


    He immediately claimed he was zero dollars, walked away under the disdainful gaze of the dancer.


    Ethan adhered to a principle; he would only browse, no way he would spend money. Despite that, when he passed the mystical bookstore and saw the billboard reading ''Reading Day, half-price across the board,'' he couldn''t help but be tempted.


    Not bringing a savings card was truly wise.


    Mugram''s equipment store wasn''t hard to find, right in the most conspicuous spot inside the second ship cabin.


    Old Mu''s Spirit Communication Shop, when Ethan saw ''Reception Bureau Pick'' behind the sign, he knew he had come to the right place.


    No one without connections would dare display ''Reception Bureau'' on their signage.


    As Ethan entered the shop, the first thing to catch his eye was the myriad of products on the shelves¡ªvials, sprays, tool kits¡ªall piled haphazardly together on the same shelf, creating a massive visual impact for him. The store''s layout resembled a library, with shelves lined in a row, leaving just enough narrow space for two people to pass through. Once inside, merchandise surrounded him on all sides.


    "Are they recruiting newbies in the Bureau?"


    An aged voice echoed from behind the counter.


    "Hello, I am...a Tree-man!?"


    Ethan extended his hand, pointing at the tree-man standing behind the counter like a mascot. He hadn''t greeted earlier because it hardly looked like a living being.


    Ave had never mentioned Mugram''s racial issues.


    Its dried skin, close to brown tone, looked like a witchcraft item placed in the shop.


    After crossing over for two years, it was Ethan''s first time witnessing such a rare species.


    "You are not a tree-man, I am a tree-man."


    Clearly, this wasn''t the first time he''d been called that, "I''m Mugram, the shop owner, you can call me Old Mu."


    Realizing his faux pas, Ethan quickly stated, "Sorry, it''s my first time seeing another species, but rest assured, politically, I support racial harmony and development."


    "Don''t be so nervous. I used to work at the Reception Bureau just like you."


    The tree-man''s face could no longer show expressions, yet Ethan sensed nostalgia in its words, "That was more than ten years ago; I was young like you once."


    "Greetings, senior."


    Ethan warmly engaged, despite the incongruity of having a Tree-man investigator, stating his purpose, "I came today to buy basic equipment."


    "Hmm, let me see... It''s the Ximu Town Intelligence Station, reserved ''Basic Package,'' it''s all ready."


    With unsteady fingers, the tree-man flicked through the list, "Yes, and also reserved counterpart usage tutorials. Have you encountered these devices before?"


    It bent down to pull out a box filled with sprays and potions from the shelf. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    First was the spray, uncapping it, with a flick of a skinny forefinger the membrane was pierced open, "Dark Creature Dispersion 3.0 spray, increased from 2.0 with ghost toads and goblins, achieved major breakthroughs technically, even affecting humans to some extent."


    "Effective on humans too?"


    "No actual harm, yet blended with a pungent smell, containing SI-0733 secretion, a substance ten times stinkier than human feces, even a tiny bit would make others believe you''ve fallen into a cesspit."


    "Don''t point that spray at me!"


    Ethan reacted quickly, dodging behind the shelf, never expecting the first product to resemble a biochemical weapon.


    "Hmm? That won''t do, you''ll have to get used to this smell sooner or later."


    "...Why do I have to get used to this smell?"


    Ethan felt a hint of ominous premonition.


    The tree-man, unfazed, smiled, "Do you know how to use the spray?"


    "When a dark creature charges at me, spray it in their face!"


    Determined, Ethan believed the spray should only serve this function.


    "Ah, a complete newbie; in that case, you''ll be doomed. The correct answer is to spray it on yourself when they notice you or when you sense dark creatures around you.


    "Don''t underestimate the wisdom of the research department, data shows most known dark creatures repel waste matter. Hence, making yourself smell like waste will make them instantly lose interest in you. In that sense, they''re somewhat human-like. After all, normal humans wouldn''t attack feces."


    Ethan suspected Old Mu''s comments of personal offense but lacked proof.


    He mused over the advice, resembling a suicidal truck scenario doesn''t it?


    Hence, he made a decision.


    He''d refrain from using Dark Creature Dispersion 3.0, at least not on himself.


    "Teach me something else instead." Ethan peeked out, his gaze sweeping over the potions, the blackened viscous solution emitting ominous vibes. He opted to skip those unclear liquids, pointing at the box resembling an old pager, initiating the talk, "What''s this for?"


    "Where are the Dark Creatures 2.1, addressing the flaw of 2.0 being disrupted by Evil God sacrificial rituals. Simply put, it''s a probe device, and you''ll interact with it daily."


    Ethan finally relaxed, as it appeared normal, "Can this probe detect the presence of dark creatures?"


    "Precisely, detecting the field wave from their activities, 2.0 added rating setup, blue representing normalcy, yellow nearby weak field wave presence, red¡ª"


    The tree-man''s introduction abruptly halted.


    Typically a routine demo, upon activation, the probe''s pointer leaped to the furthest edge of the red junction, seemingly about to burst the tester.


    But this is the Lofic Clan''s merchant ship; why would there be runaway dark creatures?


    "What does red signify?"


    Ethan swallowed hard; he already vaguely guessed the answer, just unwilling to admit.


    From his standpoint across Old Mu''s Spirit Communication Shop entrance, he saw the silhouette approaching with heavy steps. Each step incited tremors on the ground, the mask composed of bloodshot eyes, vision locking on him.


    This pitiful world was about to reach its end; Ethan felt this for a brief moment.


    Her clothes soaked through, clinging tight and outlining her alluring curves, yet Ethan couldn''t appreciate the view. When the silhouette stood before him, he struggled to speak, "Huh, why are your clothes soaked through?"


    The laughter from beneath the mask resembled a hellish demon, as she raised a water-drenched leather glove, gently holding Ethan''s face, "Indeed, why are my clothes soaked?"


    Ethan caught a scent of the ocean.


    This left him disoriented, with only one thought in his mind.


    This uncontrollable fury and hatred...


    Clearly, Uchiha Obito had come seeking revenge!

 Chapter 18: I want to create a world without Ethan

    Chapter 18 - 18: I want to create a world without EthanEthan, I want to create a world without you.


    When he was slammed to the ground by an over-the-shoulder throw, it was as if he heard such a roar in his ears.


    Ave glared down at Ethan, who was lying flat on the floor in a "big" shape. Her good noble manners restrained her impulse to step on Ethan''s chest with her high boots; she was always a person who valued etiquette. However, when she was startled by that sudden sneeze and stuck her finger into the sea, she couldn''t help but curse.


    Her first curse in life was thus dedicated to Ethan.


    After a long stare, Ave said, "Don''t sneeze when someone is casting a teleportation spell in the future!"


    "I never thought the Reception Bureau recruited a knight."


    Tree-man Old Mu also snapped out of his shock, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief ¡ª luckily this girl wasn''t here to beat him up.


    "I''m not a knight."


    "What? I thought only knights could muster the strength to execute such a perfect over-the-shoulder throw!"


    Old Mu witnessed the perfect rotation Ethan''s body formed in the air before he ended up on the ground. He could only say that the fall was artistic, reminding him of the stage plays at the Imperial Capital Grand Theater.


    The subject himself, Ethan, silently listened to the exchange between the two of them. In fact, Ave''s over-the-shoulder throw technique was more refined than Old Mu imagined; she had controlled her strength when smashing him to the ground, which resulted in a showy display that wasn''t very painful. He thought that Ave could become an all-star level contestant in WWE.


    It was easy to see that Ave was merely venting her anger and didn''t really want him to disappear from this world.


    Sneezing while someone is performing a teleportation spell can lead to the result of the other person being teleported into the sea; Ethan gained new knowledge today, indeed a day with gains.


    Although this fall didn''t hurt much, Ethan just lay on the cold floor for a while without intending to get up ¡ª kidding, the leader just gave you an over-the-shoulder throw, and you immediately dust yourself off and climb up; wouldn''t that be embarrassing her?


    This time Ave used physical techniques; if she got angry again, who knows, next time it might be divine power.


    He stayed put and observed the exchange between Ave and Old Mu, waiting for Old Mu to pack the base station equipment into a box. Ave then gallantly took out a gold-trimmed savings card and handed it over; exchanging money for goods, Ethan knew this was finally the moment to get up from the floor.


    Getting all wet made Ave uncomfortable, and although she was still simmering with fury, for some reason, her anger dissipated when she saw Ethan drifting ghost-like toward the counter and proactively holding the box close to his chest. The guy''s micro-expressions and subtle actions amused her slightly.


    Fortunate for her, she had received professional training, and she was wearing a mask, which helped her hide her feelings well.


    Having been accidentally teleported to the sea, the first thing she did upon arriving at Fireplace Bay was to swim to shore with a freestyle stroke. The original plan of taking Ethan around was shelved; a lady would never walk around soaking wet, how unseemly would that be?


    The deck was busier than expected. The sudden commotion made the crowd gather; arms crossed, they evaluated the situation, mostly with schadenfreude comments ¡ª only a fool would attack a merchant on Lofic Consortium''s territory, what a rare delight.


    Ethan saw a familiar face again.


    The young man who had been scammed out of a gold lion by a wine escort looked worse now, being pressed to the ground by the guards, his face held firmly. His eyes were full of blood, grimacing in pain, but powerless in the face of absolute force disparity.


    Ave noticed Ethan''s gaze, "Do you know him?"


    "Yes, he is my teacher."


    "Teacher?"


    Ave was taken aback, scrutinizing a bit more. The young man wore a mask, obscuring his original appearance, "Is he from Ximu Town?"


    "Don''t know, don''t recognize him." Ethan shook his head, "But he taught me firsthand the perils of Fireplace Bay."


    The saying goes, one can always learn from others; although they hadn''t exchanged a word, Ethan already considered the young man a teacher in his heart. If not for witnessing the young man''s ordeal, he might''ve ended up in debt while freeloading esoteric books at the bookstore.


    Ave''s eyelids twitched; Ethan''s thought processes were peculiar, not easy for a regular person to comprehend.


    Presumably too absorbed in studying mysticism and dark beings, causing his cognitive abilities to be influenced to some extent by the Evil God.


    "That''s just right; you wait for me here for a while, don''t wander off, I need to go to a place first."


    "Okay."


    Ethan set the heavy box down on the ground, noticing Ave holding a black cloth bag; inside, it made shimmering sounds, likely a full pouch of gold lions. She headed straight for the captain''s cabin, where guards and sailors guarded, a forbidden area for free passers.


    He sensibly joined the crowd, watching for excitement.


    Don''t pry into matters of leadership; it may involve the Empire''s darkness, best not to know. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s been so long, yet you''re still chasing after her; perhaps it''s time to give up."


    When Ave pushed open the door, she heard the captain''s voice, deep and slightly raspy.


    This was a man in his fifties, with plenty of white hair on his head, wearing a white cape, at the moment resting his hands on the table, examining the spreading nautical map over the table.


    The captain didn''t even lift his head and said, "It''s for your own good."


    Ave kept a stern face, tossing a bag of gold lions onto the nautical map.


    The captain finally paused, untied the knotted rope at the bag''s mouth; the whole pouch filled with golden luster. The captain weighed the bag, saying, "Looks like you haven''t been home for a while."


    "Want it or not?"


    The captain responded with action, pulling open a drawer and placing the full pouch of gold lions inside, "I just happened to hear a friend mention this matter, about a year ago, she encountered a buyer, distinctive silver hair color, and a pair of red pupils, she went to the shop to buy some things, parchment, pens, and tools for magic power inscription, seemed like she was making a magic book."


    "Magic Book?"


    Ave pondered, "Why make a magic book?"


    "That''s not something I can know, my friend is not fond of standing out, nor of testifying in court; he hopes that after you walk out this door you''ll bury this matter, well aware that mentioning these in itself carries great risks."


    "I understand."


    Ave said, "I was never here today."


    "That''s best."


    The conversation with the captain lasted only a few minutes; she walked out of the captain''s cabin, looking up at Fireplace Bay''s eternally night sky, and sighed deeply.


    Lindong had been here.


    She once again found traces left by the other party, always feeling as though she were chasing a phantom.


    Nevertheless, the investigations thus far finally had some substantive progress.


    Though the motive remains unclear, she knows that during her flight, Lindong came to Fireplace Bay, bought the basic tools for making a magic book, and quite possibly left behind a great tome.


    She must find that magic book.


    It''s the strongest evidence proving the Lindong Witch is still alive, also evidence the Church cannot ignore.


    (The reading data for the first week is crucial, please don''t stockpile books, thank you!)

 Chapter 19: Charging at the Minotaur

    Chapter 19 - 19: Charging at the MinotaurAve saw hope but was quickly extinguished by confusion.


    Even if the Lindong Witch really stayed in Ximu Town for some time and wrote a magic book during that period, how easy would it be to find it?


    This is not just a manuscript left by some unknown mage, but a magical masterpiece left by the Empire''s strongest Elemental Shaper. If the news were to spread, even without proof, it would make countless people flock to the Empire''s borders, measured by the level of cursed items, undoubtedly a fifth-level or above case that requires the personal handling of a major case by numerous experts at the Joint Bureau.


    The captain and his "friend" indeed took on great risk, for he knew that this piece of intelligence could incite a war, so he could only keep it buried.


    Ave was filled with so many thoughts, but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn''t figure out where this magical masterpiece had gone or who in this border town was worthy enough for the Lindong Witch to stay behind for some time.


    Her gaze drifted over the noisy crowd and landed on Ethan.


    When she saw Ethan holding two cups of beer, her thoughts about the magic book were cast away, a rush of heat flooded her mind.


    Ave thought that working with Ethan, she would eventually die suddenly at her post¡ªwhile she was off buying intelligence, this guy got duped by a beer-toting con!


    She knew the income of the Guild''s scribe, and with his salary, it wouldn''t be easy to save up 2 Gold Lions. The two beers he was holding now were enough to turn his long-time frugal living into a bubble.


    Before leaving, Ethan had patted his chest and assured her he absolutely wouldn''t get duped.


    She silently approached the smiling Ethan, listening to his conversation with the person next to him. The talk was about a young man who wasn''t sent away; the guests, full of wicked interest, suggested the guards keep him for a while so he could witness the ensuing scene firsthand.


    A gentlemanly dressed man said with great interest, "He came looking for his fianc¨¦e. It''s said he mortgaged his house and barely managed to exchange it for a ticket here. But well, his fianc¨¦e was sold off by her gambler father for money long ago. Look, that''s her over there, the dancer. She usually welcomes guests aboard merchant ships. If she''s lucky enough to be noticed by some wealthy merchant or noble, she might be able to be bought off and go become their mistress."


    "No wonder he was getting into fights in the tavern."


    Ethan nodded, and from now on, the ship was filled with the atmosphere of minotaurs.


    Ave sneaking up behind and hearing this shook her head; Ethan was easily duped by the beer-toting con and had an unnecessary sense of justice in such a place. Such people end up with only one - take enormous debt at Fireplace Bay and, when there''s nowhere else to go, pawn themselves off.


    Ethan asked again, "But, isn''t the Empire prohibited from human trafficking?"


    "First time in Fireplace Bay?"


    The gentleman shot Ethan a curious look, "But you must have used teleportation magic, Fireplace Bay isn''t under the jurisdiction of the Empire, naturally unaffected by the Empire''s laws."


    You can buy anything at Fireplace Bay, including living people.


    This is the Lofic Consortium''s promise to all clients.


    Only newcomers would be surprised by such things, "In fact, Empire citizens have always been one of Fireplace Bay''s popular commodities."


    "Brother, thanks for the explanation! Here, I toast you!"


    This shout of "brother" was very well-received by the gentleman. He took the beer Ethan handed over and enthusiastically guzzled it, showing his great mood, "ton, ton, ton." Ave initially intended to step forward and stop it but suddenly saw a strange scene¡ªmid-drink, Ethan suddenly paused his drinking.


    Immediately, several strong men emerged from the crowd surrounding the two.


    Ethan handed his beer glass to the leading middle-aged man, who smilingly gave him 50 Silver Gazelles.


    "Good beer...?"


    The gentleman, who drank it all, finally noticed the strong men, his face instantly turning blue at one moment and white at another.


    Ethan extended his thumb towards him, "Wonderful! This was hand-brewed by a master brewer of Windless City, using top-quality hops and wheat. You can only taste this master-level craftsmanship at Fireplace Bay, now selling for 1 Gold Lion!"


    Next was the time for friendly exchanges between the middle-aged man and the gentleman; Ethan didn''t want to disturb this harmonious atmosphere and voluntarily backed out, leaving the place to them.


    Only then did he notice Ave, "Oh, you''re back!"


    Ave instinctively took a step back to distance herself from Ethan, "What were you doing just now?"


    "Selling beer, making some extra money. There are quite a lot of onlookers here, but most of them know the bartender, so I made a deal with him for each beer I help sell, he''d give me 50 Silver Gazelles. You know, when people are watching the fun, their psychological defenses are lowered quite a bit."


    Ethan, as a pure-love warrior, sensed the presence of minotaurs, and without selling them a cup of 1 Gold Lion beer, his heart couldn''t be at peace.


    Ave, for a time, was speechless.


    Her assessment was completely wrong, Ethan not only wasn''t tricked but was trying to profit from the young man''s tragic experience. This guy clearly had no sense of justice, just like an old hand at Fireplace Bay!


    Ethan couldn''t help but sigh, "Fireplace Bay is really a good place, earning money is much faster than working."


    At this rate, maybe he would soon earn enough to buy a book.


    As for the young man''s ordeal, he could only say that hitting the local minotaur forces wasn''t necessarily a form of aid.


    The gentleman who was charged 1 Gold Lion glared at Ethan fiercely and immediately lost interest in watching the show, snorting coldly and leaving.


    Clearly, Ethan wasn''t fighting alone.


    The happy atmosphere among the crowd was suddenly interrupted by the sound of footsteps, the young man dressed in a splendid white tuxedo attracted all the attention, a silver whip slung over his waist, such a weapon was rare in the Empire, the young man had golden, shoulder-length curly hair, even with the customary mask, his graceful strides and confident demeanor revealed his extraordinary identity.


    The blonde youth briefly learned of the situation from the guards, then waved his hand and said, "How much is their redemption fee? I''ll buy it." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The deck suddenly fell silent, the onlookers'' expressions varied, even the young man himself looked incredulously at this sudden person.


    Everyone thought this man must have lost his mind; making a fuss on the Lofic Consortium''s turf required quite a sum for the redemption fee. Those who caused trouble usually had only two endings¡ªeither become a slave for the consortium until the day the debt was paid off, or pawn themselves to the guild, bringing all belongings to exchange for money.


    "100 Gold Lions, along with his fianc¨¦e."


    After negotiating with the manager, the guards gave the offer, hearing this figure, the faces of the onlookers suddenly showed an unkind smile.


    They were happy to contemplate the scene where the show-stealing youth couldn''t come down, who would spend 100 Gold Lions for a stranger?


    Only then did a black-haired maid, veiled, rush to the youth holding a box.


    "Young master, what are you doing?"


    "Oh, you''re just in time. Pay them 100 Gold Lions."


    "100 Gold Lions!?"


    The maid seemed startled by this figure, quietly reminding the youth, "The master will not be pleased to know you''re squandering money!"


    "Didn''t you say anything I wanted could be bought at Fireplace Bay? I''ve found what I want to buy."


    The youth was unwavering, every word he spoke leaving a resounding impact, "I want to buy ''justice''."


    Onlookers Ethan glanced at the 50 Silver Gazelles in his hand and then at the youth who stunned everyone present with a few words. On this day, he directly faced the world''s contrasts.


    Though the maid sighed, they genuinely had 100 Gold Lions.


    "Young miss."


    Ethan rubbed his eyes through the mask, then pointed at the youth, asking Ave to confirm, "Is that person glowing?"


    He felt the youth radiating golden brilliance all over, similar to the color of Gold Lions.


    Moreover, this person seemed like a pure-love warrior, presumably belonged to the same faction as him.


    Ave held her forehead, "Are you very short on money?"


    "A bit."


    Ethan nodded truthfully.


    Originally not so short, but after arriving at Fireplace Bay, he suddenly wanted to visit the ship''s bookstore.


    "If you need money, borrow from me, I can lend you."


    "How much is the interest?"


    Ethan''s wary expression made Ave stagger slightly, she coldly replied, "No interest, the only request is you don''t mix with those beer sellers, I can''t afford to lose face."

 Chapter 20: Do Not Look at Improper Things (Please Continue Reading~)

    Chapter 20 - 20: Do Not Look at Improper Things (Please Continue Reading~)Borrows 35 gold lions from Ave, among which 25 gold lions are used to purchase the "Simple Magic Scroll Making Process" published by the June Flower Printing Factory in the Imperial Capital, and 10 gold lions to buy 20 sheets of energy-storing parchment for making scrolls.


    Subtracting the savings he accumulated over the past two years, plus the 50 silver antelopes he just got from the gentleman minotaur, he still owes Ave a total of 4 gold lions and 50 silver antelopes.


    Of course, Ethan''s explanation to Ave is that he wants to buy a textbook on scriptwriting, his dream has always been to become the appointed playwright of the Imperial Capital Opera House, and when he is transferred to work at the headquarters in the future, he plans to devote his spare time to creating stage plays.


    Fortunately, the always inquisitive Ave seemed preoccupied, and after lending him the money, she just stayed on the deck waiting for him, not caring at all about what Ethan had bought with the money.


    Ultimately, the evil thought was aroused.


    Carrying the bag, Ethan suddenly realized a serious problem.


    Before departing, Ave claimed that Tree-man Old Mu was a dangerous person, and any slight mishap could lead to an abyss of eternal doom, yet after an encounter, the most dangerous thing Old Mu did was aim the spray nozzle of "Dark Creatures Disperse 3.0" at him; other than that, he had no intention of cheating him out of his money.


    However, when Ave offered to lend him money interest-free, a door to a new world opened for Ethan.


    Once human desires and evil thoughts are stirred, they become hard to resist.


    Ethan criticized himself inwardly.


    But the path of the Elemental Shaper is long and arduous, and besides recording introductory elemental magic, "Fireball and Ice Arrow Magic Power Study" also briefly mentions the principles of magic power composition.


    Each extraordinary path has its unique way of advancement. For an Elemental Shaper, continuously broadening one''s horizons, increasing one''s understanding of mysticism, and enhancing the connection with natural elements are the means to refine magic power.


    In Ethan''s own terms, he needs to enhance his intelligence.


    The stronger his magic power, the greater the intensity of the spells he can cast.


    Since crossing over, he can''t see his own panel, and his only cheat is knowing the proficiency of his skills. Hence, he can only judge his current magic power intensity by comparison.


    Conservatively estimated, it should be slightly stronger than the witch who attacked the town some time ago.


    So, how should he enhance his intelligence?


    The answer is to read more books related to mysticism, which is a conclusion Ethan drew over the past two years.


    He has read through all the works related to mysticism in the Ximu Town library, unknowingly becoming the mysterious studies expert in the eyes of the town''s residents. He thinks this barely counts as any great achievement since what he browsed was publicly available to everyone.


    But truly, few people in the town are willing to read books; they rather come running to consult Ethan when problems arise, to hear the knowledge he has refined and summarized.


    In Ethan''s view, there are generally two ways to contact more mysticism.


    The first is via profession.


    As long as he gets transferred to work at the headquarters of the Reception Bureau, all the mysticism books in the Imperial Capital Library would be open for his perusal, plus the clerical department work is relatively leisurely, giving him plenty of time to read. His work goal is quite simple: to retire after reading all the mysticism works in the Imperial Capital Library.


    The second is via wealth.


    As long as he earns enough money, he could buy a huge amount of mysticism books in places like Fireplace Bay, with some even being magic books related to skills.


    The first goal was within reach, so the second goal couldn''t be neglected either, which is why Ethan gritted his teeth and bought "The Simple Magic Scroll Making Process." Once he masters the making process of magic scrolls, he could create magic scrolls for the Fireball Skill, Ice Arrows, and sell them in Fireplace Bay to others.


    If things go smoothly, this could make money much faster than his job salary.


    Having made a round in Fireplace Bay, Ethan realized that the principle of confidentiality and free transactions here suited him very well.


    Thinking of this, the hand carrying the bag involuntarily tightened, his heart inevitably tense. After all, he was just a conscientious worker in the first half of his life, with no business experience, and everything had to be built up from scratch.


    But no matter what, Old Sen Magic Scroll Shop officially set sail!


    Ethan and Ave, each with their own thoughts, had a smooth return journey without the mishaps of Ethan sneezing and causing Ave to be teleported into someone else''s home or the sewer.


    Ethan stacked the shopping bags on the box, and when he returned to Ave''s apartment building, Miss Keroy, with her head held high, was already waiting at the door. Seeing the two of them, she cheerfully hopped and ran over, then proactively used her head to nudge the box, carrying the basic infrastructure of the Reception Bureau''s Ximu Town intelligence station into the house.


    Upon coming home, Ave took off her damp coat as soon as possible, stormed into her room, and soon, the sound of water could be heard.


    Ethan, on the other hand, opened the box to check the inventory inside. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This box indeed contained "basic" infrastructure, with only four types of items. He finally understood what the bottle filled with ominous black viscous liquid was.


    "Lighthearted Mental Blocker 2.0," a blocker formulated using secretion SI-0321, effective in blocking the mental effects of most low-level curses on investigators.


    A few words in the introduction made Ethan''s scalp tingle.


    "Oral Solution."


    This stuff is for drinking.


    He tried bringing the bottled solution close to Miss Keroy, who immediately made a startled "clucking" sound and fluttered her wings to hide under the table.


    See, even Miss Keroy wouldn''t drink it.


    The remaining items were several manuals, with covers reading "Curses and Containment Objects Terminology Guide." Ethan really needed this, as the contained items were all encoded communication. For instance, without the guide, he would have no idea what SI-0321 was.


    However, Ethan soon regretted it.


    When he curiously looked up entry SI-0321 in the manual by its number, what met his eyes was a body with a trunk like a red balloon, with several tentacles attached below it. The balloon appeared to be both its head and body, while five palm-sized eyeballs took up the frontal area of the creature. At the center of the eyes was an upturned trumpet-like mouth.


    "Squint Eye."


    This was the name the Reception Bureau gave this bizarre creature. The manual prominently highlighted that it was first sighted after a noble party concluded, resulting in 7 deaths, including the Duke''s youngest son. There were no apparent injuries, and the cause of death was asphyxiation.


    Additionally, the manual warned with red text that all investigators should not make eye contact with "Squint Eye" for more than 3 seconds on accidental encounters.


    Research indicated that making eye contact with "Squint Eye" for three seconds would lead one into hallucination, and given that all hallucinated subjects were dead, the Reception Bureau remains unaware of the specific appearance of the hallucination world.


    The "SI" number refers to a containment object that exhibits strong hostility and lethality towards investigators.


    The so-called SI-0321 secretion was mucus extracted by researchers from the eyes of "Squint Eye." They unexpectedly found out that this mucus had the effect of blocking mental influences.


    Ethan''s stomach churned turbulently, and at that moment, he understood why someone would say ignorance is bliss.


    Drinking this stuff is roughly equivalent to sipping on the eyeball of "Squint Eye."


    He didn''t know what others thought, but he definitely couldn''t bring himself to drink it.


    Unknowingly, the bedroom went quiet, and not long after, the sound of a door opening rescued Ethan from this nightmare. Ave, draped in a loose white satin robe with steam still emanating from her and her golden medium-short hair simply tied into a single ponytail, appeared. The iconic golden tuft on her head was temporarily gone.


    The air was filled with a light fragrance.


    Ethan waved the manual, taking the initiative to say, "I''m previewing future work content, but I have a question before the work officially starts."


    "Ask away."


    "You mentioned that you''d be staying in Ximu Town for a while, and I''d like to know what our real target is?"


    "To find a magic book."

 Chapter 21: New Residence

    Chapter 21 - 21: New Residence"A magic book? What kind of magic book?"


    Ethan''s question struck Ave to her core, leaving her in silence. In truth, she had no idea what kind of magic book the Lindong Witch had left behind, nor could she imagine it. Besides, even if she knew, she wouldn''t tell Ethan.


    A magical masterpiece left by the Empire''s most outstanding Elemental Shaper.


    Just the title alone was enough to cost countless lives.


    She shook her head, "It''s not something you need to worry about."


    "Then... what if you never find it?"


    "A year."


    Ave knew what Ethan was worried about, so she held out an index finger, "If I haven''t found it in a year, I''ll fulfill my promise and recommend you to work in the intelligence department of the main bureau."


    "Deal!"


    Ethan was still young; he could afford to wait a year. Plus, in the meantime, he could devote himself to running the Old Sen Magic Scroll Shop and save up enough living expenses before heading to work at the Imperial Capital Bureau.


    He added, "In that case, I won''t disturb you today. Miss Keroy and I will head back."


    "Head back? To where?"


    Ave tilted her head in confusion, causing the blonde hair on top of her head to lift as well.


    "First go back to the Guild to pack my things. I''ve transferred to the Reception Bureau, so I need to clean out my original place."


    The only thing Ethan felt was a shame was the room on the second floor of the Guild. It was an employee benefit that allowed him to live there rent-free for two years, saving a significant amount of money on rent.


    "Where do you plan to move?"


    Though Ethan could be annoying at times, and he once sneezed her into the sea, given that he was currently working under her, it was necessary to pay attention to his living conditions. Plus, Ethan had just spent a large sum of gold lions to buy books, so his savings were likely depleted.


    This was Ave''s first time being a supervisor, and she decided to be a responsible one.


    "The small cabin in the mountains. With a bit of tidying up, it''s actually quite nice."


    Ethan was an optimistic person, despite the cabin''s small flaws, like the fact that a body had been dragged into the house, resembling a cult sacrifice scene, with blood splattered everywhere. Later, several people died at the entrance, and their cremated ashes were buried in jars at the doorstep. The cabin was also falling apart from neglect; it would surely leak in heavy rain, and the door offered almost no protection at night. Any passing wild animal could easily break in...


    But if you ignored these issues, the cabin was quite decent.


    The Guild had long forgotten about this piece of property outside the town and probably wouldn''t mind if he and Miss Keroy temporarily stayed there.


    The forest and nature had a unique charm; even a well-known host once commented, "It''s really not bad, living in the mountains is really nice," to express his love for the mountains.


    "That run-down place can house people?"


    Ave blurted out, and the blonde hair on her head shook vigorously, as if advising Ethan that his plan was unwise.


    Having visited the mountain cabin herself, she couldn''t imagine living there without breaking out in hives in just two days.


    "And what about Miss Keroy? She''s still growing and eats a shockingly large amount. You probably can''t afford her food expenses at this point, can you?" Ave said. "Don''t misunderstand, Miss Keroy is also a member of our base, so naturally I need to care about her situation."


    Ethan pursed his lips, suspecting that Ave and her piggy tails might not respect nature enough.


    He understood the reasoning, but if he had money, who wouldn''t want to live in a big house?


    Regarding Miss Keroy''s appetite, Ethan planned to rely on nature. Nature would always provide its gifts, and in the wild, there were many kind beasts, like the great boar king, who couldn''t stand the sight of other creatures going hungry.


    Seeing Ethan fall silent, Ave suddenly said, "What do you think about the apartment next door?"


    Ave lived on the most bustling street of Ximu Town, in a standalone duplex apartment building that catered explicitly to the upper-class society of Ximu Town, such as big bankers or store owners. Several such luxurious apartments lined the newly built road in Ximu Town.


    "Living nearby would make it more convenient to discuss work, and officially speaking, the Reception Bureau also provides housing for some important employees."


    "The apartment building next door belongs to the Reception Bureau?"


    "It can be."


    Those three simple words were enough to leave young Ethan deeply shocked. When Miss Ave mentioned buying an entire apartment building, she didn''t even blink, as if it was just a regular part of her life, as ordinary as eating or drinking water.


    "Thank the organization for its appreciation and the leadership for their promotion!"


    What else could he say?


    "Cluck cluck!"


    Miss Keroy, who had been hiding under the table, also came over and elegantly made a slight bow to Ave to express her thanks.


    Ethan always felt that the little hen seemed to be getting smarter.


    "Then pack your personal belongings at the Guild and move into the apartment next door. The identification documents from the Gear City branch should arrive tomorrow night, so rest well until then."


    Ethan agreed verbally, but he was already planning to stay up all night. He was eager to study "The Simple Guide to Making Magic Scrolls," hoping to make the 20 pieces of charging parchment he bought into ice arrow scrolls before officially starting his job. He had been itching to do this the entire way.


    Completing the handover and carrying his luggage back to the new apartment, it was already evening, and Ximu Town was still under lockdown, with empty streets. Before leaving the Guild, he took some bread that was free for the hunters, offering it as dinner for Miss Keroy. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Standing at the apartment door, Ethan felt a sense of displacement.


    After two years of crossing over, he finally had a new home, no longer a small room dependent on others.


    Though this was an employee benefit in name from the Reception Bureau, it still made him unable to take a step for a long time. On the living room coffee table, there were valuable-looking utensils, and the grand reception room was the first thing seen upon entering.


    He now had a private bathroom and a private study.


    He arranged a bedroom for Miss Keroy. Cautiously, she examined the soft bed in the room. After getting Ethan''s approval, she happily jumped onto it, curled up under the warm covers like a fiery red ball, her eyes narrowing into slits.


    "From now on, this will be your room."


    "Cluck!"


    And he, Ethan, was also about to embark on a brand-new world.


    This grand luxury apartment gave him new goals¡ªto self-learn as a Magic Scroll Maker and, if he succeeded in growing his business, perhaps one day he could rent an equally grand house in the Imperial City.


    He quickly walked into the bedroom and placed "The Simple Guide to Making Magic Scrolls" on the desk.


    This large oak desk could easily hold 20 stacked sheets of charging parchment.


    With excitement, Ethan flipped open the first page.


    The creation was about to begin!

 Chapter 22: Old Sen Magic Scroll Shop

    Chapter 22 - 22: Old Sen Magic Scroll ShopOne person, one book, one gas lamp, one night, one miracle.


    Ethan seemed to return to the days of burning the midnight oil in his previous life. By the time he finished reading the whole book, his eyes were already getting a bit sore. The book was highly professional, and it was almost entirely summary text with pitifully few real-world examples. What''s more, it discussed a field entirely unfamiliar to him, and a slight lapse in attention would make him unable to keep up, forcing him to flip back a few pages to reread it.


    No pain, no gain.


    He couldn''t help but admire Mr. Anonymous, who wrote "Magic of Fireball and Ice Arrow," for being able to summarize the profound art of Elemental Shaping to a degree even a layperson with no magic background could understand.


    But fortunately, Ethan came from the fill-in-the-blank style of education and was once a standout in this field. He looked over the learning trends of the Empire and believed no one understood devouring books better than he did.


    If it were someone else, they might have given up long ago, but Ethan was different. He wouldn''t sleep unless he finished devouring this book.


    That''s the calm of a strong person who dares to leave winter vacation homework until the last three days.


    Finally, perseverance paid off. When he closed the book, the proficiency bar had added a new skill.


    ''Elemental Cartography (Beginner): Proficiency: 1/45''


    Ethan laid out the energizing parchment neatly on the table, then propped his left hand against his face and covered his tired, swollen eyes. Although he eventually learned the craft of elemental cartography, he still had to say that the craftsmen invited by the Imperial Capital June Flower Publishing House couldn''t speak plainly. They almost had no ability to summarize, could infinitely complicate a simple issue, eventually making it incomprehensible for non-professionals.


    No wonder these days, people generally believe that without personally becoming an apprentice, it''s impossible to learn a craft.


    The teaching level is really poor.


    The 6th Era, 171 years, Ximu Town scholar Ethan made the above criticisms about the current educational environment in the Imperial Capital.


    In reality, elemental cartography is far from as profound as the book described. Essentially, it tests the cartographer''s control over their own magic power. To put it more simply, it''s about drawing an ice arrow on energizing parchment using magic power to complete a magic scroll.


    This isn''t difficult at all.


    Ethan could not only draw an ice arrow on the energizing parchment but could also change its form, simulating it into other forms.


    He could hardly imagine how these so-called master craftsmen associated such simple principles with meditation, spirit, and perception¡ªthe most unrelated things.


    If Mr. Anonymous had written this book, he would have mastered the craft hours ago.


    He could feel that Mr. Anonymous was an educator with advanced thinking. If possible, he hoped to meet with him.


    Luckily, it''s not too late, and if all goes well, he could craft twenty ice arrow magic scrolls before dawn and then sell them all at Fireplace Bay, completing the first batch of orders for the Old Sen Magic Scroll Shop.


    On the foundation of the ice arrow, he planned to fully utilize the characteristics of level 2 proficiency to create some pieces unique to the Old Sen Magic Scroll Shop''s style. How about combining three ice arrow scrolls into one powerful ice arrow? By the way, a hailstorm for burying Miss Becky and the seven old butlers could also be included in the production process.


    He also had a strategic partner in mind. There''s a magic scroll shop on the first merchant ship near the port at Fireplace Bay, with each scroll costing 50 silver antelopes, and he priced them at 1.5 gold lions. After all, it''s a beginner spell, the quotes shouldn''t be too high, and the point is to maintain a long-term flow.


    In this way, he could avoid the cost of setting up a stall on the merchant ship.


    The revenue from the first batch of magic scrolls would be 30 gold lions, subtracting the 4 gold lions and 50 silver antelopes he still owed Ave...


    Just one transaction and he could earn back the money he spent on the book!


    Ethan felt greatly encouraged. Business related to mysticism is indeed one of the quickest ways to make money; he could see the gate to wealth opening to him.


    To this, the owner of the "Mage''s Magic Scroll Shop" with seven years of experience in selling magic scrolls made this remark:


    "Why the hell don''t you just go rob?" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Ethan, holding twenty ice arrow scrolls, excitedly expressed his intentions in front of this old gentleman, he was so shocked that his cigarette fell from his mouth to the ground. "Selling an ice arrow scroll for 1 gold lion and 50 silver antelopes, are you crazy?"


    This unexpected scene left Ethan a bit stunned. Instinctively, he glanced at the shelves full of magic scrolls in the shop, "But this is an ice arrow scroll."


    The old gentleman couldn''t be bothered to explain, "Basic Elemental Shaping scrolls are on the third shelf. See for yourself."


    Ethan hurried over in a few strides.


    The prominent sign beside the shelf read, "Beginner Elemental Shaping Magic, crafted by Masters, a masterpiece, priced at 60 silver antelopes each."


    A bolt of lightning struck through Ethan''s mind, this sudden blow left him cold from head to toe. As a novice at setting up shop for the first time, he realized he paid a heavy price for being young and naive. He had heard that magic scrolls were profitable, so he blindly plunged into the business, completely neglecting market research!


    This was a miscalculation on his part.


    But...


    Why don''t you just give it away for free?


    He thought to retort in his heart to the magic scroll shop owner, knowing that the cost of an energizing parchment piece alone was 50 silver antelopes.


    He couldn''t help but take a closer look at the notice board.


    It really was a giveaway.


    Buy 10, get 1 free.


    When he returned to the counter, the owner had already hung up a "Closed for Business" sign, and an additional line on the notice board beside the counter read "We do not repurchase beginner elemental shaping magic items."


    "But my ice arrow scroll is designed in a way that using three at once gives a little surprise; it works better in rainy weather or watery places."


    "I don''t care about this or that. All the scrolls on the shelf are crafted by academy teachers, textbook-level magic scrolls, and they don''t sell at all!"


    The owner impatiently waved a hand, "The era of the Elemental Shaper is long gone. If I have the money, why not buy a gun? What are these one-time magic scrolls for? If you really want to make money with magic scrolls, go learn some skills that others don''t have."


    The last road was also blocked. It seemed he couldn''t even receive a minimal 10 silver antelope assistance.


    But Ethan didn''t understand.


    Guns and gunpowder are certainly good, but elemental shaping magic isn''t as bad as the owner made it sound, right?


    He''d witnessed the power of an ice arrow; compared to modern anti-materiel sniper rifles, it was not inferior. Far beyond the era''s firearms, the only problem was that magic scrolls are single-use; you need to buy a new one after using it.


    But with guns, didn''t you also have to consume bullets?


    Ethan walked out of the magic scroll shop in a daze. In his original plan, he should now have 30 gold lions in his pocket, not holding unsold ice arrow magic scrolls.


    Could it be that the Old Sen Magic Scroll Shop will sink before it even sets sail?


    He thought of the all-out stake he made with his last resources yesterday; now he''s still 4.5 gold lions in debt. Come to think of it, this seems to be a kind of all-in in some sense.


    A sea breeze blew by, bringing with it the salty, fishy smell of the ocean.


    So cold.


    "Elemental Shaper, please stop."


    Suddenly, someone called out to Ethan, someone chased him out from the magic scroll shop. The voice was somewhat familiar, and despite the masquerade mask, the golden lion''s hue on the person made him easily recognizable.


    It was the Pure Love Nobleman.


    The nobleman placed his hand on his shoulder, "I heard you say just now that using three ice arrows together gives a little surprise. Could you explain it to me in detail?"

 Chapter 23: Pure Love Noble Son

    Chapter 23 - 23: Pure Love Noble Son"To let my clients feel the charm of elemental shaping magic, I made some small designs when crafting the scrolls."


    Realizing the person''s identity, Ethan''s hope was instantly reignited.


    First, this young noble was very wealthy.


    Secondly, he was also part of the pure love faction. Rounding it up, they could be considered as one of their own, so supporting each other should make sense, right?


    Ethan diligently introduced, "When crafting the scrolls, I found the power of the ice arrow has limits. These days, when traveling outside, we often encounter situations where a single ice arrow can''t resolve the issue, and in these occasions, three ice arrow scrolls are needed. According to my design, simultaneously releasing the magic power from the three charged parchments can trigger a mighty attack." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ethan couldn''t help but give a thumbs up to this batch of scrolls, feeling he really had talent in this field.


    The young noble looked troubled, "Uh, what is a mighty attack?"


    This was the first time he''d heard such a unique description.


    "It means... you can think of it as a super-sized ice arrow, effectively compensating for the shortcomings of a single ice arrow''s strike area. If there''s a lot of water around, the scroll''s effect will be significantly enhanced. But remember, don''t simultaneously activate three scrolls in crowded places, unless you want to be labeled a terrorist."


    The young noble was Ethan''s first client and also one of his own people, so his explanation was much more detailed. "Also, if you''re not using the ice arrow scroll to kill the opponent, please don''t aim at his upper body. Also consider the penetration power of the ice arrow, as you might accidentally injure others."


    He didn''t want his first client to accidentally become a psychopathic killer or terrorist.


    "Oh? This is the first time I''ve heard of such an interesting magic scroll." The young noble was intrigued, and he carefully picked up a scroll to scrutinize it, "Are you sure this is an ice arrow scroll?"


    "A genuine ice arrow scroll, guaranteed!"


    Ethan patted his chest in assurance, "If it''s fake, I''ll compensate tenfold!"


    Following behind the young noble, the maid with black short hair had a different look in her eyes. She had a pair of rare green pupils, which at this moment were looking at Ethan with disgust, obviously viewing him as a swindler.


    "Interesting, 20 pieces, 30 gold lions, great, I''ll take them all."


    When the young noble turned towards the maid, her look of disgust vanished, replaced by a cute and obedient smile, holding the backpack and subtly reminded, "Young master, I just noticed that the magic scroll shop sells ice arrow scrolls for only 60 silver antelopes, and if you buy ten at once, you can select any beginner elemental shaping magic scroll as a bonus."


    "But the shop''s scrolls don''t have the three-in-one function, right? Nor can they launch a mighty attack."


    The young noble was quick to learn and instantly remembered this unique description.


    The black-haired maid squinted her eyes into a line, along with her lovely face, giving a feeling of spring warmth.


    But Ethan felt this spring breeze seemed a bit chilly.


    She didn''t argue, took out a cloth bag from her pouch, counted 30 gold lions and put them in, handing it to Ethan.


    Her hands were trembling, but she was professional enough to maintain her composure in front of her young master. Most likely, she overheard the shop owner proclaiming that "elemental shapers are no longer suitable for this version" and saw him leave the shop dismayed after being rejected.


    Ethan didn''t agree with many of the shop owner''s views, despite the owner having over seven years of magic scroll sales experience.


    He earnestly explained to the two, "I think the owner seems to have a deep bias against elemental shapers. Basic elemental shaping magic isn''t as worthless as he says."


    When discussing this issue, the owner likened guns and bullets as an example, saying the times have changed, and gunmen are the strongest profession in this version.


    Ethan confidently assured his clients to ensure business continuance at Fireplace Bay. He wasn''t the type of swindler who''d run off after hitting a lick, "The ice arrow scrolls I sold you should work better than guns. I''ll always be at Fireplace Bay, if you''re satisfied, welcome to visit my Magic Scroll Shop again."


    "Your shop?"


    The young noble looked around, noticing only Ethan there, not even a hint of a vendor, he joked, "At least tell me your name or nickname, I might become a returning customer."


    "Old Sen... huh?"


    Ethan intended to blurt out "Old Sen Magic Power Scroll Shop," but that''s clearly neither his name nor nickname, "Good question!"


    As expected of the pure love young noble, the question went straight to the soul.


    What was his name again?


    The black-haired maid took a deep breath, pinched her hand hard to maintain composure, secretly giving Ethan a glare when the young noble wasn''t looking.


    What a powerful glare!


    Don''t blame her, even Ethan himself found himself suspicious now.


    Clearly, he wasn''t called Ethan, for Fireplace Bay was a place full of deceit, where no one used their real name. The Reception Bureau investigator identity and codename couldn''t be used either. Otherwise, Ave could easily uncover him secretly selling magic scrolls behind the leader''s back just by strolling around Fireplace Bay.


    Ave was a good girl, a good leader, but she represented not just herself, but the entire Margaret Clan. With the experiences over the past two years, Ethan really didn''t want to get involved with the Empire''s great aristocrats.


    The young noble and the black-haired maid watched him, waiting quietly for his answer.


    Theoretically, this wasn''t a profound question, but countless thoughts flashed through Ethan''s mind. He wasn''t good at naming, making it difficult to quickly come up with an impressive and grand nickname.


    Until, a face emerged in his mind.


    An outstanding chemist who also stood at the crossroads of fate like him.


    Faced the dark side of the world under similar circumstances, unable to use his real name.


    More importantly¡ª


    "Heisenberg, you can call me Heisenberg."


    Heisenberg was also Old Sen!


    "Heisenberg..."


    The young noble''s eyes showed a deep meaning, "Is that your hometown?"


    "Kind of."


    Ethan equivocated.


    He knew their understanding of hometown differed slightly. Heisenberg was a film he watched in his previous life, the place of his true hometown, whereas the young noble probably referred to the northern coastal city of the Empire.


    "I''ll remember, goodbye then, if your ice arrow scrolls are as good as you described, I''ll come back for more."


    The young noble rolled up the ice arrow magic scroll and put it in the bag. Ethan then noticed the bag''s actual storage space seemed much larger than it appeared, but it made sense for wealthy people like them, as their backpack wasn''t ordinary.


    For Ethan, it was a night of ups and downs.


    Despite some unexpected occurrences, it ended well.


    Turns out...


    Beginner spell scrolls no longer have a market?


    He watched the young noble and maid''s departing figure thoughtfully. Clearly, this transaction wasn''t the norm, as such big spenders weren''t common, but it sparked new inspiration for Ethan.


    If ice arrow scrolls don''t sell, change their name, make them something different.


    His first client wasn''t drawn by the 60 silver antelope basic magic; what truly fascinated him was the three-in-one effect.


    However, this wasn''t the limit of the ice arrow, nor was it all he could depict.


    Ethan still stood at the scroll shop''s door, just happened to catch a glimpse of the shop owner.


    The owner was glaring at him, disdainfully yet with envy.


    "Seems you''re lucky."


    The owner''s mouth probably said so.


    Indeed.


    The owner''s words reminded Ethan.


    ¡ªIf you truly want to make money from magic scrolls, learn things others don''t.


    Then, what could he do that other elemental draftsmen couldn''t?


    That day, the old man with seven years of magic scroll sales experience had a look of swallowing flies. He sat behind the counter with ants crawling all over his body.


    He had expressed sufficient hostility to Ethan, without hiding his disdain, originally thinking Ethan would taunt him after making money, prepared for a verbal battle with this snot-nosed kid¡ªif that were the case, he might not feel as uncomfortable as he did now.


    But Ethan didn''t taunt him, nor did he walk back into the shop.


    He even left him with a sentence before heading off.


    "Thanks."


    No anger nor taunt, leaving the sentence, Ethan''s eyes had neither Mage''s Magic Scroll Shop nor the person sitting behind the counter.


    Seven years of sales experience made the owner understand the implication of that look.


    This snot-nosed kid surely thought of a money-making way.


    Thought of how to push those unsellable-trash items.


    So curious!


    The ant-crawling feeling intensified.

 Chapter 24: Times Have Changed, Young Master

    Chapter 24 - 24: Times Have Changed, Young MasterThe next morning, with a loud rumble, a giant ship slowly departed from the Imperial City Pier. Reporters who had rushed to the scene were blocked by a human wall formed by the Kingdom Army, and they struggled to carve a bloody path through the crowd of onlookers, squeezing to the front and trying their best to stand on tiptoe, lifting their box cameras high overhead to capture the image of the giant ship leaving.


    The noise of discussions among the crowd was incessant.


    "This ship is truly magnificent. If only we could go onboard and take a look."


    "Don''t be daydreaming. That''s the Deep Sea Council''s ship! I read in the newspaper that it uses... is it...?"


    "Steam power."


    "Yes, steam power! Did you see the people on the other side of that human wall? Guild presidents, arms tycoons, the red-clad cardinal. I''ve been here for so many years, yet never seen so many high-profile figures gathered all at once! Only such figures are worthy of being invited aboard!"


    "But this indicates the visit is over, though it''s a pity we didn''t see the representatives of the Council."


    "I''ve heard rumors that the Deep Sea Council is going to undergo a major reshuffle."


    "Who did you hear that from?"


    "Never mind. I have my intelligence network!"


    "So, with all that being said, we''re going to..."


    "What are you talking about! That''s courting death. Don''t splash your blood on me when the time comes!"


    Despite all this, such discussions persisted, part of the Imperial Capital People''s favorite pastime, always making them feel as if they were close to politics, as if they could reach and touch it with a mere lift of their hand or a word spoken.


    At least, they had eyes to see the giant ship disappearing over the horizon.


    Something big was about to happen.


    Everyone knew it without saying.


    ...


    Meanwhile, a blond young man in a white dress was leaning on the railing aboard the steam ship, looking back at the increasingly indistinct silhouette of the Imperial City. When it was almost out of sight, he finally stretched with relief.


    "Young master, how was the visit this time?"


    The captain and a few sailors came over, along with a black-haired maid who carried a tray on her chest with grilled fish, fruits, and a blue-toned drink.


    "Oh, Lily, you''re the one who truly understands me!" The blond young man praised generously, then said to the captain, "Only Fireplace Bay was decent. Once we return, send someone to contact the Lofic Consortium and establish several transmission magic nodes on our side."


    Regarding this, the black-haired maid referred to as Lily had a different opinion, "Young master got swindled out of quite a sum there. Everyone in Fireplace Bay knows there''s a fool with lots of money."


    "Hahaha, young master, you''ve upset the maid chief again."


    The crew teased.


    Despite her etiquette in front of outsiders, the maid chief was very protective of the young master''s image, only occasionally showing her sarcastic side in private.


    The youth leisurely sat on the deck chair, picking up a bunch of fruit, and asked with a smile, "Lily, haven''t you come to terms with it yet?"


    "This isn''t about coming to terms or not, young master, you were obviously deceived by that self-proclaimed Elemental Shaper, Heisenberg."


    She persisted in her viewpoint, wasting money didn''t matter since the young master was used to spending lavishly, but being tricked like a fool was a different thing altogether. In Lily''s view, it was far worse than when the young master spent 100 gold lions to buy out that pitiful couple.


    Luckily, no one in Fireplace Bay knew their true identity, so it didn''t escalate to a political level. If the Empire were to get the impression of "Deep Sea Council members being foolish and wealthy," the consequences would be severe.


    Sensing gossip, the crew eagerly gathered around, impatiently asking, "Sister Lily, tell us more!"


    "Who is Heisenberg? How did he deceive the young master?"


    The black-haired maid''s face grew increasingly grim as she coldly reprimanded the crewmates for their excitement, "There''s nothing amusing about this matter."


    Then she recounted last night''s encounter she had with the young master.


    The crew''s reaction was exactly as she expected.


    "Hahaha, Magic Power Scrolls three-in-one?"


    "Even I, who has never dealt with Magic Power Scrolls, know this is impossible."


    "The shop clearly had goods for 60 silver antelopes."


    "Wait, could Heisenberg have bought those 20 scrolls from the shop and then resold them to the young master?"


    "Very likely, this was probably a ploy by Heisenberg and the shop owner. Since this was the young master''s first trip away from home, he was simply too young."


    The deck was filled with joyous laughter, while Lily remained expressionless. In principle, they shouldn''t gather to ridicule the young master, but this time, the young master acted so absurdly that if he continued this way, he would definitely suffer great losses in the future.


    "Is there truly no one on my side?"


    The youth protested, "But that''s Magic Power Scrolls three-in-one! Doesn''t it sound interesting?"


    The crew expressed their stance through action, each one assembling behind the black-haired maid, leaving the youth isolated, with the captain not forgetting to add fuel to the fire, "Although interesting, unfortunately, it''s impossible for it to be genuine. The material used for crafting Magic Power Scrolls is charged parchment, each sheet is independent, and carries limited magic. How could three be used together?"


    "No, I believe he didn''t deceive me."


    The youth''s attitude was firm, trusting his intuition.


    "Young master, the era of knights and magic is over. It''s their time now."


    Before the crew''s eyes was a finely crafted revolver, its silver frame embedded with gold edges, with a handle carved in the pattern of irises. Upon seeing the iris, the smile disappeared from the captain''s face and his expression became much more solemn.


    The iris represented the Empire''s royal family; he immediately guessed that it was a gift from the Royal Family to the young master.


    On a larger scale, it symbolized the friendship between the Empire and the Deep Sea Council.


    "This is a gift from the Imperial Military Industry. You haven''t even looked at it once. During the factory tour, I''m sure you heard about this too. Even the Empire, a major country with alliances like the Neseriel Sanctuary, has been reducing the ranks of knights for years. Since the emergence of the gunners'' camp, their proportion in the Kingdom Army has been increasing year by year. The Imperial Military Industry has long been the Empire''s leading heavy industry."


    During the Empire''s visit, as there were always outsiders present and walls inevitably had ears, Lily maintained her silence, but someone had to tell the young master these things, "I''m aware of your fondness for magic since childhood. However, now you''re representing more than just yourself. The master entrusted you with this visit, hoping for much from you."


    Another of her responsibilities on this trip was to evaluate the young master''s performance.


    The result could only be described as... unsatisfactory.


    The young master remained the same, distracted during the visit to the Imperial Military Industry, missing such crucial information. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Lily, you''re right."


    The youth''s gaze suddenly sharpened, "Precisely because of this, I trust my eyes even more. Didn''t you notice the workers'' expressions?"


    Black-haired maid was taken aback.


    There was silence on the deck, and even the crew was taken aback by the youth''s sudden change.


    "I thought His Majesty Henry was in good health, at least supporting for another ten years, but now it seems... the once Dragon Slayer Warrior can''t defeat time, after all."


    He paused for a moment, once again glancing at the now indiscernible outline of the Imperial City Pier.


    ¡ª "This country is about to erupt into civil war."

 Chapter 25: Saint

    Chapter 25 - 25: SaintDeck silence.


    In the eyes of the servants and crew, Master Yue is still a child who hasn''t grown up. As the eldest son of the current Speaker, he completed his first voyage with the fleet at the age of seven.


    Yue carries no airs and graces and always gets along well with them, leaving everyone with a good impression.


    However, they all felt that Master might be more suited as an adventurer freely sailing the seas rather than a congressman. This is their first time hearing Master make a comment on domestic politics, and it was such a shocking remark.


    The Empire is about to erupt into civil war.


    They can imagine what kind of tremors this feedback would cause when the council receives it.


    They only felt that the young Master still couldn''t comprehend what the status of an ambassador truly represents¡ªonce this voyage ends, every word he says to the council could profoundly impact future policies.


    The captain quickly interjected, "No, no, no, Master, you mustn''t joke about this. How could the Empire possibly erupt into civil war?"


    "At the latest, within a year of His Majesty Henry''s passing."


    Yue remained unmoved, resting his chin on his left hand, and continued along the topic, "Lily, the Lofic Consortium and the Pope all asked us the same question when meeting us¡ªthe consortium or the Church, who does the Deep Sea Council lean toward for long-term cooperation?"


    "That''s quite normal, Master. As early as a few years ago, both expressed their desire to establish chambers of commerce and churches in our coastal cities," Lily replied. "Since sea routes were opened, relations between civilizations have become closer."


    "To my knowledge, the Empire''s succession law differs from the council''s; they emphasize lineage. The next heir to the throne will be chosen among His Majesty Henry''s descendants, yet they''ve not even mentioned these heirs once."


    "The Empire''s throne struggles have always been like this."


    The captain said, "Even His Majesty Henry gained the throne with the support of Neseriel Sanctuary through his heroic dragon-slaying feats. Regardless, the chaos is only temporary."


    "Indeed, but chaos creates opportunities for others. Times have changed. In this era, as long as one is equipped with weapons produced by the Imperial Military Industry, even ordinary people might defeat trained Kingdom Army soldiers."


    Yue sat where he was, opposing the captain and Lily from the scene, yet not a single crew member joined his "camp."


    After all, this judgment sounded utterly absurd.


    Lily bitterly shook her head, "Such rebellion won''t last beyond three days. Once the Empire deploys the Saints, the rebellion stands no chance."


    The assessment system for the Transcendent was proposed by the Empire. When humans step into the tier-three domain, they become beings incomprehensible to ordinary people. However, above tier-three exist two higher ranks; the moment one is promoted to tier-five, they are granted the title of Saint.


    Like Divine Spirits walking among humans.


    This is how people evaluate the Saints.


    Despite the Empire being severely weakened in the battle against the Lindong Witch, even setting aside the soon-to-be-deceased Henry IV, they still maintain close relations with at least three Saints.


    Her eyes suddenly dimmed as she bowed her head and said, "In front of the Saints, a mortal''s struggle is meaningless."


    Even if the Master''s prediction becomes reality, she can foresee the end of this tumultuous resistance¡ªcrushed like ants, their heads hacked off and hung on the city walls as a warning to future generations.


    Their names would be written into history books as criminals beyond redemption, nailed to the pillar of historical shame.


    Yue noticed Lily''s discomfort and changed the subject, asking, "Speaking of which, Father, when he last visited the Empire, the Reception Bureau hadn''t been established yet, right?"


    The captain, perceptively taking over the topic, said, "Oh, I''ve heard of them, supposedly an agency specialized in handling abnormal cases in the Empire, founded only recently. The former director was an exceptional figure, granted the title of Tier Four Scholar by the Enlightenment Society at just 30 years old. It''s a pity he met with an accident; otherwise, within a few years, the Empire might have birthed a new Saint."


    Yue: "Rather than handling abnormal cases, I think ''dealing with Evil God''s Followers'' is more accurate. After all, most of the cases they investigate are caused by Evil God''s Followers, a naming strategy game."


    "Naming strategy?"


    "Omitting ''Evil God'' from the naming process makes the situation appear less severe. Don''t you find it odd? Since the fourth era, Evil God''s Followers have never disappeared, yet why does the current Empire feel the need to create a special department dedicated to handling such incidents?"


    Yue intentionally paused for a moment, seeing the captain''s expression of wanting to speak but hesitating, knowing the captain was actually aware of the answer, just too afraid to say it aloud.


    "This suggests that Evil God''s Followers within the Empire are increasing, so much so that the Empire has to establish a special department to address the activities of Evil God''s Followers... Could it be that Evil God''s Followers are sprouting from the ground?"


    Yue took out a book from the inside pocket of his clothes, the cover reading ''Learn About 100 Dark Creatures.'' "I bought this in the imperial capital''s bookstore, written by an experienced old Hunter. When reading this book, there''s always one question that puzzles me.


    "The old Hunter said that belief in Evil God twists a human''s body and soul, turning them into inhuman monsters. They lose intellectual capacity and develop various grotesque habits, such as addiction to blood-drinking and cannibalism. Even their closest ones fear them, they are hunted by the Empire, always on the run, and no matter where they escape, they are like rats in the gutter."


    No normal person would want their life to turn into this nightmare. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet in the Empire, more and more are falling into becoming Evil God''s Followers, even seeing unprecedented events of Saint corruption.


    When Yue visited the Imperial Military Industry''s factories and saw how the workers looked at them, the question buried in his heart finally had an answer.


    The Empire''s propaganda about the Evil God has always been meticulous, with even ordinary people in remote cities knowing the dangers of believing in Evil God:


    "Faith in Evil God will turn you into a monster, ruin your family, and plunge you into the abyss... but I imagine the Evil God never denies this to its followers. It only promises one thing¡ªonce you abandon all these, you''ll gain power."


    This is the unbearable weight of life and the most tragic fate Yue could imagine.


    Until he realized, for some people, this seemed not to be a sacrifice.


    Because,


    "Many are already there."

 Chapter 26: An Awesome Attack

    Chapter 26 - 26: An Awesome Attack"Why is the atmosphere so heavy?"


    Everyone on the deck silently watched Yue, and he suddenly felt the grilled fish on his plate didn''t taste good anymore, but this time, no one refuted him.


    He comforted everyone, "Isn''t it just war? What''s there to be so nervous about?"


    "I never thought you had this side to you, young master."


    The captain snapped back to reality and was the first to lighten the mood. The words just spoken didn''t seem like those the young master would usually say; despite the prediction seeming far-fetched, as they thought along the lines of the young master''s words, they couldn''t think of how to refute them.


    However...


    The captain glanced at Lily, who was hanging her head, arms wrapped around her shoulders, her body trembling slightly.


    Clearly, those words had stirred her past memories.


    Lily is a person of the Empire. She has unique emotions about being a Saint. When the young master "picked" her up during the first voyage, she was wearing clothes full of holes, dirty and covered with scars. A group of human traffickers seized her, intending to send her off as goods elsewhere.


    Many people were already there.


    The captain thought perhaps no one understood the meaning of those words more than Lily, who had crawled out from the abyss.


    "Lily" was also a nickname given to her by young master Yue. In those early days when she first boarded, she never spoke to anyone, leading almost everyone to think she was mute.


    Since then, she remained by the young master''s side as a maid.


    Though Lily disliked mentioning her past, the crew learned she once had a happy family, loving parents, until the battles of the Saints affected her hometown. When she crawled from the rubble, the entire town had become a wasteland.


    Bodies lay everywhere, limbs scattered all around.


    In those early days aboard, Lily would wake from nightmares nearly every night, and the Saints who destroyed her hometown remained revered figures.


    ¡ª Necessary sacrifices.


    ¡ª A noble tribute to the martyrs.


    The most common rhetoric in the Empire, as long as one stands in the square and shouts, people quickly forget those who died in the war.


    The captain coughed lightly, pulling the topic back, "I admit you''ve indeed grown, young master, but those 20 Scrolls of Ice Arrows, you were definitely scammed! Even if you talk until the sky breaks, you were scammed!"


    The crew immediately jeered, "Definitely scammed!"


    "Bought 20 Scrolls of Ice Arrows for 30 Gold Lions."


    "This matter should be recorded in the voyage log!"


    Yue wasn''t angry; instead, he smiled, "Since you''re so sure, let''s make a bet. I bet Heisenberg didn''t scam me."


    Heisenberg mentioned not recommending the powerful three-in-one Ice Arrow Scrolls for use within towns, advising that if water sources were around, the Ice Arrows'' potency would increase. Their ship already left the Empire''s seas, and all they saw was vast blue.


    No better place to test the three-in-one Ice Arrow Scrolls than here.


    A chubby crew member was the first to express, "Alright then, what do you want to bet? I can wager 20 Silver Antelopes, any more and my wife will scold me back home."


    "30 Silver Antelopes!" S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ll offer 50!"


    "Stop, stop!"


    Yue waved his hand, "This bet isn''t about money. Ultimately, it''s Lily who revealed this, so if you lose, she''ll have to pay the price."


    "What price?"


    The black-haired maid furrowed her brows. Yue smiled like a betting child, full of provocation, making her want to pinch his face like she did when they were young.


    The young master Yue''s face had a surprisingly good feel when pinched.


    With these antics from Yue and the captain, some of the gloom in her heart had lifted.


    "If I win, you''ll tell me 10 jokes until you make me laugh; if I lose, I''ll tell you 10 jokes."


    Honestly... fool!


    Yue''s intentions were painfully obvious, yet perhaps this world only had one foolish young master considering a servant''s feelings, trying to cheer her up.


    Lily said, "You''re bound to lose, don''t sob when the time comes."


    "You''re the one who''s bound to lose, don''t underestimate my bond with Old Sen! Better start prepping those jokes."


    Yue declared victory; he was determined to win this.


    Of course, even if he lost, it wouldn''t be a big deal.


    The first day he visited the bookstore, he bought "Empire Jokes Selection," just right for this occasion.


    Everyone headed towards the bow of the ship, with the captain and crew silently exchanging glances, a secret operation already underway.


    The goal was to make the maid happy, so even if the scroll could truly work as a three-in-one, they''d pretend not to see.


    The young master Yue was bound to lose this bet.


    After all, these Ice Arrows, even if combined from three scrolls, would merely be larger than ordinary Ice Arrows, slightly more penetrating, but now they''re on the sea without a specific target. How powerful could it be other than what they say?


    "Accept your fate, young master!"


    The crew watched Yue pull out the three scrolls at once; since the outcome was decided before the betting started, the next part was their most anticipated jeering and mocking phase.


    The three scrolls emitted a pale blue glow, as the chubby crew member was first ready with a mock, "Look, young master Yue''s Ice Arrows, small like a chi¡ª"


    A blast of cold air cut off his words; he felt his teeth were going to freeze.


    The chubby crew member saw the captain''s expression.


    The captain was ready to laugh loudly, to warm up that heavy atmosphere, but now he just stood there, mouth agape, unable to make any sound.


    This made the chubby crew member realize everything he saw wasn''t an illusion.


    The ship had stopped moving.


    Because a jagged glacier blocked their navigation path; this sudden ice mountain sliced through the sea, dividing the ocean in two. The continuous ice spikes extended forward, their end unseen.


    Soon, they smelled blood.


    With the sea breeze, it blew into their noses.


    Marine creatures pierced, sliced by the ice spikes rose to the surface; among them were many dangerous monsters. Some ice spikes were stained with blood or outright pierced with monster corpses. Blood dyed the spikes red but solidified before spreading down.


    Even time seemed frozen here.


    "Egg¡ª"


    After an indeterminate while, frozen time started moving again; the chubby crew member''s echo brought everyone back to reality. He exhaled warm air as everyone simultaneously made the same move¡ªcrossed arms, curled into a ball.


    So cold!


    The temperature dropped at least 30 degrees!


    Even Yue was left dazed at the bow.


    "This..."


    The captain spoke everyone''s mind, "What the hell is this thing!?"


    He didn''t understand.


    These three scrolls, how could they even remotely relate to Ice Arrows?


    Whose Ice Arrows looked like this?


    Yue stared into the distance for a long time, finally understanding why Heisenberg warned him against using it in town.


    Now he thought only about safe usage guidelines and all other instructions about Ice Arrows.


    Yue sluggishly turned, answering the captain''s query, "One hell of an attack."


    It took him several minutes to straighten his tongue, instructing the captain, "Turn back! Return immediately, and as soon as we''re back, have a magician from the consortium set up teleport magic in my mansion; I must visit Fireplace Bay!"


    He even forgot about the ten jokes Lily owed him, pacing urgently on the deck.


    For the first time in his life, Yue grew dissatisfied with steam power and rushed into the control room. They were racing against time.


    Although Heisenberg said he''d remain at Fireplace Bay, but if others learned the power of the three-in-one Ice Arrow Scrolls and offered him a long-term contract to lure him away, what then?


    Thinking of this, he lost his usual composure, shouting, "Is this really steam power? Why is it as slow as a snail?"


    (Next week is the second round of testing waters, hope everyone keeps up with the reading daily. Continuous reading data will affect subsequent recommendations and exposure. If the first subscription results for this book are good, there will be 5 updates every day in the first month, at least ten thousand words, thank you all!)

 Chapter 27: The Chicken Farmer

    Chapter 27 - 27: The Chicken Farmer¡ºIce Arrow (Proficient): Proficiency: 1/150¡»


    When Ethan woke up and checked his proficiency panel, he couldn''t help but fall into deep thought.


    His Ice Arrow proficiency had jumped, something that had never happened before. It should have been a cause for celebration, yet it filled him with a foreboding sense.


    What happened?


    You know, even witches assumed to be above Tier Three can only provide 15 points of proficiency.


    Could it be that he has awakened a new talent, "I Train in My Dreams"?


    No, this is obviously impossible. The dreams he had were unrelated to training Ice Arrow. He merely dreamed of himself lying on a pile of golden lions, in a room sculpted entirely of gold, and this filled his face with a smile as he rolled indulgently on the golden lion pile.


    Then, unsurprisingly, his waist was bruised.


    Next, someone knocked on the door.


    In his dream, Ethan leaped from the lion pile, excitedly rushing to the door¡ªthis was the ultimate goal of his life, achieving financial freedom, never having to work under the gaze of a boss, and marrying a gentle and virtuous wife, spending the rest of his days in a golden-built small house like in a fairytale.


    So, what would his future wife be like?


    Filled with expectation, Ethan opened the door.


    Sunlight poured into the room, freezing his outstretched arms in place, as two people dressed in black suits and wearing sunglasses came into view.


    "Heisenberg, you are accused of twelve charges, including tax evasion, magic scroll smuggling, come with us."


    ...


    What a nightmare!


    The thought of magic scrolls immediately intensified Ethan''s unease, and he suddenly considered a possibility¡ªcould it be that when others used the magic scrolls he drew, he could share in the proficiency gain?


    However, causing his Ice Arrow to jump a stage is unimaginable; what could that pure-blooded noble child have done with his Ice Arrow scroll?


    Could that idiot have tried out the Ice Arrow''s triple combo power on the street in a densely populated city?


    Looks like I should closely follow the "Horned Owl Beast Daily" recently.


    "Knock, knock, knock¡ª"


    The knocking sounded again, and Miss Keroy used her head to push the door of his room open a crack, peering inside. Upon receiving Ethan''s gaze, she shook her wings and let out a soft "coo" nasal sound, making Ethan inexplicably imagine a maid coming to inform him of a visitor.


    Huh?


    Why did he have such an imagination?


    Ethan stopped his wild thoughts, got out of bed, threw on clothes, and headed to the washroom for a quick freshen-up. By the time he reached the living room, Ave was already sitting on the sofa waiting for him, wearing that same heavy overcoat and gold-framed monocle, leaning back and browsing through one of the "Glossary of Curses and Containment Terms."


    Hearing footsteps, she glanced up at Ethan.


    "I admire you, managing to sleep until nighttime. Have you eaten?"


    "No."


    "We''ll eat on the way."


    Ave stated in a tone that brooked no argument, causing Ethan''s heart to skip. He glanced out the window at the pitch-black sky, not expecting that even after many years and coming to another world, he couldn''t escape the fate of overtime. Yet he still held a flicker of hope, a dying struggle, and asked, "Now?"


    "A letter came from the Gear City branch, saying there''s a tricky case in Ximu Town. Banker Marshall''s in trouble, likely linked to a cursed item. They want us to check it out."


    Marshall.


    Ethan silently recalled the somewhat familiar name, and with Ave mentioning the banker''s title, he remembered a chubby, bald-in-the-middle middle-aged man. At a Guild annual meeting, this banker had given a speech on behalf of the Imperial United Reserve Bank.


    It was all official jargon, and Marshall hadn''t left too deep an impression then. That''s when Ethan heard from the hunters that this man was the Ximu Town branch manager, and all business needed his approval.


    "Recent statistics aren''t optimistic. Unusual cases have increased by 20% compared to last year, with border cities up 44.6%. The disappearance and death rates of investigators are also rising annually."


    This was a briefing sent with the commission letter and was specifically requested by Ave.


    As she had predicted, ever since the Lindong Witch incident, unusual cases had sprung up everywhere like mushrooms after the rain. The Reception Bureau had increased investigation efforts, yet couldn''t curb the rising case numbers. To this day, the investigation bureau was critically short-staffed.


    Or more accurately, with the staggering mortality rate, fewer people were willing to work on the frontline. If they learned they''d be sent to the Empire''s border, many investigators would immediately submit their resignation letters.


    Ave speculated this was probably why the Gear City branch was so excited to hear they were establishing a base station.


    They didn''t expect anyone in this era would rush to the frontier village towns.


    Ave put down the book and pointed to the coffee table, "Look, the identity cards have arrived."


    The shining hard card paper and mithril-edged frame bore their investigator levels and codes, symbols of Imperial civil employee status.


    On top was Ave''s identity card:


    "Rose," B-level Investigator.


    Outstanding graduate from the Enlightenment Society, awarded Tier Two Scholar title during studies, Director of the Empire''s Ximu Town Intelligence Station at the border, the beautiful and tenacious Empire Rose.


    The Reception Bureau clearly valued Ave highly, providing high praise in the card''s commentary and granting her a B-level Investigator title at the start, which is already middle management level in the Bureau. Though Ethan felt with Ave''s identity, if she chose to stay long-term in the Bureau, she''d likely be promoted to A-level Investigator within a year.


    This is the gap between people, the disparity of the world!


    Next was Miss Keroy''s identity information.


    "Alpha Wolf," E-level Investigator (CI-0651-a).


    A mysterious creature nurtured by CI-0651, omnivorous, mild-tempered yet with werewolf-like destructive power, able to easily crush, peck through granite, awakened to intelligence by a cursed item, with potential for continued growth and evolution.


    "Oh, nice, Miss Keroy. They''ve rated you highly."


    Ethan strung Miss Keroy''s identity card with a cord, hung it around her neck, and gently patted her head. Miss Keroy happily nuzzled his hand, emitting joyful chirps.


    Ethan''s inner expectations were stirred.


    Every word on the identity card made him realize he was a step closer to his career plan.


    So how would the Reception Bureau evaluate him?


    After all, the Ximu Town intelligence station was established through his and Ave''s joint efforts.


    Excited, he picked up his identity card.


    "Chicken Keeper," E-level Investigator.


    A person who raises a chicken.


    ... S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ethan fell silent for a moment, turning the card over multiple times, finally confirming that it truly had only one line.


    "Miss Rose."


    His vision plunged into darkness, "Was this identity card printed wrong?"


    Compared to Rose and Alpha Wolf, he felt like he was just there to make up the numbers.


    "No, it wasn''t."


    Ave shook her head, extinguishing his last hope, "This is your identity card."

 Chapter 28: Laughter Syndrome

    Chapter 28 - 28: Laughter Syndrome"Miss Keroy is a Wolf Chicken, but she looks more like a chicken, so I think being a chicken breeder suits you perfectly."


    Ave analyzed seriously, her golden hair split into three strands on her head, arms crossed, nodding continuously, clearly agreeing with her own statement.


    But this off-the-cuff code name and hasty introduction look like they''re meant for cannon fodder. Ethan thought about going to the main bureau later, with colleagues having cooler code names, and when they looked at him, his answer would be "I raise chickens."


    The thought made his scalp tingle. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Can this code name be changed?"


    "Yes, you can apply for a change during job promotion or reassignment, and the approval process takes about a week to half a month."


    Ave''s explanation made Ethan feel slightly relieved, but at the same time, a familiar feeling returned.


    Late at night, the boss suddenly announces overtime.


    He didn''t realize the work at the Reception Bureau was so tight, the identity card arrived urgently on the same day and assigned them work immediately. Fortunately, the work location seemed safe, within the small town.


    Ethan packed his tool kit, changed into work clothes, brought along the "Exorcism Agent" and "Blockade Agent," and naturally couldn''t forget the detector. After all, this was the first abnormal case he handled in his career, holding significant importance. He was full of anticipation, as this would become a future story for him to tell his grandchildren while lying on a rocking chair at home.


    The food was hard bread, which, as Ethan observed, was no different from instant noodles in this era, easy to preserve, clearly effective in filling the stomach, with no drawbacks other than being dry and hard to eat.


    Marshall''s mansion was very close to them, as a big banker like him naturally resided in the most prosperous district of Ximu Town, just like the wealthy Ave.


    When Ethan chewed the hard bread upon entering, he was greeted by a sumptuous candlelight dinner.


    A candle was placed on the dining table in the living room, and the table was filled with a whole roast turkey, with an irresistible aroma, causing him to glance at the table. The main dish was cinnamon pie, accompanied by a vegetable and fruit salad.


    He took a fierce bite of his hard bread.


    He used the method of "viewing the plum to quench thirst," hypnotizing himself into believing that what he was eating was actually a turkey leg, which, at least in hardness, was almost comparable to a chicken leg bone.


    Marshall wasn''t here, he appeared to have no appetite, having only bitten a piece of cinnamon pie, torn off a small piece of meat from the turkey leg, and had wasted the sumptuous candlelight dinner.


    Ethan suddenly thought of something and quickly turned towards Miss Keroy, who entered the house with them.


    The turkey''s size was somewhat similar to hers, plus they belonged to the same family, and the table scene was probably nothing short of a horror movie for her.


    "Don''t stare at the table, Miss Keroy..."


    Hearing Ethan calling her, Keroy, who was staring off into space at the table, snapped back to reality, stiffening her neck, swallowing the drool threatening to spill, and then awkwardly adjusting her stance, striving to maintain a ladylike posture.


    Miss Keroy was longing for meat.


    "You must be investigators from the Reception Bureau; the master has been in a poor state these past few days."


    Welcoming them was a worried maid, her tone urgent, "The master hasn''t eaten properly for the past two days, nor has he gone to work at the bank. He''s acting very strange."


    "Could you tell us more?"


    Ethan took out a notebook, quickly entering work mode.


    "The master, um... has suddenly started to really like laughing, his laughter is terrifying, so he locked himself in the room and hasn''t come out."


    "When did this start?"


    Ethan noted under Marshall''s name on the first page of the notebook the description of "likes laughing." This matter, which disturbed the Gear City Reception Bureau enough to have them working overnight, surely wasn''t just about a mere "liking to laugh" level of abnormality.


    Behind Marshall is the Lofic Consortium, handling the banking business of the entire Ximu Town. If he can''t work, it will have a drastic impact on the bank.


    "It was yesterday morning; the master went to collect property and came back like this."


    Suspected to be influenced by cursed objects while collecting property, the Blockade Agent should work effectively.


    A professional Reception Bureau investigator must dare to make judgments!


    This actually doesn''t require in-depth investigation; since the Gear City branch asked them to handle this case, it implies that this case most likely involves cursed objects.


    Ave wanted to speak but saw Ethan quickly get into the state, revealing a subtle smile. This is her ideal assistant¡ªevery great detective needs such an assistant.


    Having completed the record and analysis, Ethan asked, "Can you take us to see him?"


    He took out the detector, keeping it on.


    The needle was in the blue zone, indicating that Marshall didn''t accidentally bring any cursed objects home.


    "Please."


    The maid quickly led the two people and a chicken to the bedroom door, where the door was tightly closed, and no sound could be heard from inside. She knocked on the door, "Master, the investigators from the Reception Bureau have arrived."


    "Come in."


    Hearing Marshall''s voice from inside the room, Ethan immediately breathed a sigh of relief. The banker was still alive and hadn''t ended up with only a cold corpse in the room by the time they''d arrived.


    Marshall, dressed formally in his bedroom, was trying to maintain dignity. But from his pale complexion and disheveled hair, it was clear his days hadn''t been good lately. As they entered, he sat lifelessly at the desk, holding a sheepskin book, without realizing he was holding the book upside down.


    After getting an eye signal from Marshall, the maid bowed to everyone and left the room.


    "Mr. Marshall, I am the investigator from the Reception Bureau, the Chicken Br¡ª"


    "Hahahahahahahahahaha!"


    I hadn''t even finished speaking!


    Ethan''s introduction was drowned out by a burst of intense laughter, feeling that Mr. Marshall was unbelievably impolite. At least wait until he''d said "Chicken Breeder" before laughing!


    "Sorry, I just, hahahahaha¡ª!"


    The bedroom presented a very eerie scene, with Marshall pale, full of guilt and pain, his features twisted together, yet laughing uncontrollably, bending back and forth, unable to stop, his body hunched into a ball, hands repeatedly slapping the table.


    After laughing for a while, his trembling hand grasped a pen and left "Help me" on the endpaper of the upside-down book.


    "Don''t panic, we are professionals."


    Though having accumulated some work experience, the calm Ethan knew what to do now, and this basically counted as no trouble at all. He took out a glass jar from his toolkit containing a black solution, the liquid bubbling ominously.


    "This is ''Comprehensive Relief Mind-Block Agent 2.0,'' effectively dispelling most cursed object influences."


    Ethan unscrewed the jar''s lid in front of Marshall, and an intense fishy smell immediately filled the room.


    Marshall''s pupils constricted, he and the chair retreated several meters away, struggling to speak with all his strength despite still laughing uncontrollably, "I won''t drink; I''d rather die than drink!"

 Chapter 29: Smells Bad, Tastes Delicious

    Chapter 29 - 29: Smells Bad, Tastes DeliciousIn theory, Mr. Marshall''s symptoms are not tricky. Just drinking a bottle of inhibitor could cure him immediately, but upon seeing the bubbling, ominous liquid with a pungent smell inside the bottle, he became extremely uncooperative.


    "You all... hahaha, think of another, ha, solution..."


    Even while laughing uncontrollably, Marshall still extended a hand of refusal towards Ethan.


    Ethan could only consult his superiors, but when he turned around, he found that Ave had already exited the bedroom, and Miss Keroy had joined her at the doorway.


    Miss Keroy paced anxiously at the doorway, trying several times to enter, but was held back by the pungent smell.


    She could only try to convey a message to Ethan with her eyes.


    ¡ªThat''s shit, don''t pick it up!


    Ave was curiously scrutinizing the bewildered Ethan in front of her, wondering what action this usually eloquent subordinate would take. If it were her, she would most likely knock Marshall out and forcefully pour the inhibitor into his mouth.


    Marshall, the branch manager transferred to Ximu Town from the Imperial Capital United Reserve Bank, had an uncle who was a noble in Gear City. This five-year tenure as branch manager was meant to enrich his career history, following which he would be transferred to headquarters in the capital city.


    For someone accustomed to fine cuisine from a young age, getting him to drink the inhibitor was nearly impossible.


    Ave had heard about many frontline investigators who, to adapt to the smell of inhibitors and exorcism agents, would long-term take odor and taste reducing drugs. This made them less sensitive to smell, with the downside that the damage these drugs did to their senses was irreversible, making it difficult for them to enjoy food after retirement.


    However...


    How many frontline investigators actually live to retirement?


    "Mr. Marshall, do you realize that human senses can deceive you?"


    "Don''t you come any closer¡ª!"


    Amidst his hysterical laughter, Marshall extended his hands and retreated to the corner of the room. He pulled a gun from the drawer and aimed it at Ethan, ready to die together if Ethan took another step closer.


    "Mr. Marshall, I heard you come from a noble family, and your ancestor was a high-ranking officer in the Kingdom Army who participated in the brutal anti-heretic war."


    Upon hearing of his ancestor''s glorious deeds, Marshall steadied himself slightly, trembling as he shifted the gun barrel elsewhere.


    "So, have you heard the story of stinky tofu?"


    Ethan spoke in a gentle tone, stopping in place. His words had an effect, even halting Marshall''s laughter. Standing just a few paces away, Marshall confusedly shook his head.


    Ave''s antennae stood upright, listening intently. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This indicated that Ethan had come prepared, having read up on Marshall''s identity and background.


    Could it be that this guy intended to leverage family honor to bind Marshall?


    It wasn''t a bad strategy.


    "It was the early days of the anti-heretic war when the first King, during a campaign, was ambushed by the Evil God''s Followers. They fought in a tug-of-war in the forest for three days. When they finally defeated the followers, the soldiers of the Kingdom Army found only an uninhabited village outside the forest. Starving and parched, they searched the entire village and found only a local specialty called tofu, most of which had spoiled due to long storage."


    As Ethan narrated, the bedroom quieted down, leaving only the sound of even breathing besides his words.


    The crowd gradually got used to the inhibitor''s pungent smell.


    Ethan continued, "The spoiled tofu was inedible, but if they didn''t eat, they might not last till the return to the town. Thus, the first King made a decision, having a large pot of oil heated in the village to fry the spoiled tofu. Almost immediately, a pungent smell emanated from the pot, prompting many soldiers to question whether this food was truly edible. Amidst the doubts, the first King set an example, first tasting the fried spoiled tofu and discovering, to his surprise, that it tasted quite good."


    "Years later, when the anti-heretic war was over, the first King revisited the site, recalling the village ordeal, realizing it was that spoiled tofu that helped the Kingdom Army through a crisis. He thus had the locals replicate their cooking method into a snack. Due to its characteristic strong smell and delicious taste, the first King named it ''stinky tofu.'' Today, stinky tofu enthusiasts prefer the pungent odor, for only through the stark contrast can they taste the snack''s true charm."


    Ave''s expression grew increasingly somber, almost resembling Marshall''s towards the end.


    She could hardly believe the Empire''s first King had such a story!


    Ethan noticed Marshall was wavering, indicating certain success in his approach. He had read the Reception Bureau''s assessment of Marshall, which noted his traits reminiscent of old-school nobility, especially valuing family reputation and honor.


    "The full name of the inhibitor is ''Relaxation Spirit Inhibitor 2.0.'' From its name, you can discern that it underwent multiple updates and iterations since its inception to become the version you see today."


    Ethan declared, "Developed by the Reception Bureau''s R&D department, it gathers the Empire''s top scientific minds¡ª a product of their wisdom and effort. Did you ever think these smartest people in the world never received feedback, or were unaware that the inhibitor''s smell was daunting?"


    While these words were aimed at Marshall, they also made Ave ponder deeply.


    She had never thought about the issue from this angle before.


    In her eyes, Ethan''s image suddenly grew larger, each word he spoke leaving a heavy impact on her, prompting new thoughts, much like the mentors of the Enlightenment Society, all foremost scholars of the Empire.


    Compared to them, Ethan was indeed too young, and she found it hard to imagine a peer possessing a similar temperament to the mentors.


    "Of course, the research department knows, and they know countless ways to eliminate odors. Yet, they didn''t do that. They could accept investigators'' feedback and change the solution''s taste, but its smell and appearance had to remain."


    Ethan allowed Marshall time to digest and reflect. Seeing Marshall seemingly comprehending, he continued, "When stinky tofu enthusiasts encounter the pungent smell, they think of the first King''s illustrious days during the anti-heretic war. Similarly, the research department wants to impart to new inhibitor-wielding investigators that this occupation is no invitation to a feast. Only those with a willpower beyond ordinary folks could survive in this field."


    Ethan approached Marshall step by step, yet this time, Marshall didn''t speak. He stared intently at the glass held by Ethan.


    Numerous thoughts occupied his mind.


    He thought of his ancestors, of the first King, and of the grand anti-heretic war.


    Then, the glass bottle was handed to his hand.


    Ethan''s low voice was like the whisper of a devil, "The only question is, whether you are as determined as your ancestors?"


    Marshall''s mind worked quickly, extracting key information from the complex data.


    Indeed.


    Retaining the pungent odor serves to remind investigators of their work.


    But in reality, the taste issue had long been resolved. Like stinky tofu, it evolved with time, becoming a local snack accepted by most people.


    With this in mind, Marshall tipped back his head and downed the inhibitor in one gulp.


    Then, all thoughts ceased.


    His vision blurred, his body swayed, and he looked at Ethan with only one thought left in his mind.


    Damn it!


    Damn liar!


    "That story just now..."


    Ave entered the room, patting Ethan on the shoulder from behind. She felt there was something eerie about the scene before her, disrupting the weight brought by the story.


    She looked at Ethan, Ethan looked at Marshall...


    Marshall rolled his eyes, sticking out his tongue dyed black, leaving only hollow eyes.


    This tongue can''t be kept anymore.


    From Marshall''s demeanor, she gleaned this subtle message.


    "I made it all up."


    Ethan glanced at the empty glass bottle on the ground, commenting, "Even a dog wouldn''t drink this stuff."

 Chapter 30: A Visit Here

    Chapter 30 - 30: A Visit HereEthan is definitely a dangerous person.


    Ave concluded.


    He can describe fabricated stories as if they''re real without flinching, just like earlier. She completely believed the story about the first King of the Empire and stinky tofu, immersing herself in this epic tale and even considered going to the village Ethan mentioned to taste the stinky tofu.


    However, it was all lies. In just a few minutes, Ethan had made up a story that could be included in the "War of Apostasy".


    Marshall believed it and paid a painful price.


    He kept spitting out his blackened tongue, as if all happiness in life had been extracted.


    No wonder Ethan considers himself no worse than the nobles of the Imperial Capital, just lacking opportunity. Ave felt that making him her assistant wasted his talents; someone like him is more suited to enter politics and become a spokesperson for a key institution.


    After all, those spokespersons excel at making unbelievable things sound real.


    On the other hand, the blockers worked very well, proving that Marshall''s laughing affliction was indeed some kind of mental influence from cursed objects.


    From his angry expression, swinging his pillow like a knight from the War of Apostasy period would swing a flail, he seemed to be recovering well.


    Marshall immediately expressed his heartfelt emotions to his attending physician once he recovered.


    ¡ª¡ª"Get the hell out of my house!"


    This is probably Ethan''s magical charm; he can make someone raised with noble etiquette return to their true nature and curse.


    "We''ll split up. Miss Keroy and I will first inspect the cursed apartment; you stay here for questioning."


    While being thrown out of the mansion with a pillow, Ethan seized the opportunity to shout his plan to Ave.


    No matter how circumstances change, Ethan always has a plan.


    Ave looked at his silhouette as Keroy carried him away, increasingly feeling this man should be a politician.


    Ethan was delighted to be kicked out of the big banker''s house; the unexpected overtime tonight left him no time to organize his business plans. Before leaving Fireplace Bay last night, he visited a tavern, the intelligence hub for merchant ships, where all sorts of people gather, and you can hear about big events happening in any country worldwide.


    He spent 1 Golden Lion to persuade the bartender to advertise for him.


    The bartender would spread that an Elemental Shaper had arrived at Fireplace Bay, offering private customized magic scrolls for the upper class, tailoring services to clients'' needs, more flexible and closer to real requirements than the fixed spells in scroll shops.


    Want to experience high-end customization? Want an Elemental Shaper exclusively serving you?


    Just 30 Golden Lions for VIP treatment!


    Find Heisenberg; he''ll appear at the beach on the southwest corner of the pier every Wednesday night.


    After all, he had lived through the 21st century and seen numerous advanced business methods.


    Is the Fireball Skill and Frost Arrow unsuitable for this version?


    Perhaps so, but the clever merchants have already found a strategy. They repackage outdated products with attractive packaging and names that sound impressive, selling them at prices dozens of times higher.


    Some call it an IQ tax, but enough people fall for it to make them a fortune.


    Frost Arrow is like this.


    Label it as "private customization", "high-end service", and it sells for 30 Golden Lions.


    He''s confident in his product; the only problem is how to attract the first batch of customers.


    Ethan pondered his business plan while directing Miss Keroy, heading to the civilian apartments in Ximu Town where he was very familiar with the layout. When he first arrived at Ximu Town, he seriously considered buying a townhouse of over 50 square meters, a place of his own.


    Later, Ethan discovered he could stay at the Guild for free, so he abandoned the plan to buy a house.


    Approaching the residence, the eye-catching billboard read¡ªWant a new home of your own? The Imperial United Reserve Bank offers various loan services!


    In loan services, the Imperial United Reserve Bank is always ahead. Ethan heard the Lofic Consortium initially accumulated wealth by setting up banks across the Empire.


    Ethan stood downstairs looking upwards; the entire building was pitch dark, with a dead ambiance.


    He was about to investigate a haunted apartment.


    The apartment owner hanged himself in the bedroom, owing the Imperial Reserve a large loan. As per the agreement, his apartment would be repossessed and auctioned by the Imperial Reserve. Marshall was affected by the cursed object while inspecting the apartment, contracting the laughing syndrome.


    The name in the documents from the Reception Bureau gave Ethan pause; one of the few people in the town who left a lasting impression on him.


    Mr. Luoxang, Ximu Town''s clown performer, always handed out balloons to children after events. Though not valuable gifts, they brought joy and laughter to the town''s kids, earning his deep affection.


    Ethan had exchanged words with Luoxang at Guild events. On the surface, he was an optimistic person who loved his job, claiming his mission was to bring joy to others.


    If the Reception Bureau''s report hadn''t mentioned Luoxang''s name, Ethan wouldn''t have known he was dead. Recently, the town''s people were on edge due to the witch''s incident, none noticing a few familiar faces were missing. It was hard for him to imagine such a person would end his life with a rope in his apartment bedroom.


    Ethan used a spare key to open the door, entering Mr. Clown''s apartment for the first time.


    Yet, it was hard to see traces of Luoxang''s life here; old furniture packed in the living room, ready for the Imperial Reserve to sell again. If it weren''t for the cursed objects, someone new might move in within days.


    He placed the detector on the empty bedroom floor, where Mr. Luoxang hanged himself.


    A beam dangled overhead, showing clear scratch marks from his desperate struggle.


    Judging by the dust tracks, Marshall had been in the room, standing under the beam for a while. Perhaps, Marshall looked up, noticing the marks, and might reprimand the staff handling aftermath, as no one wants to see reminders of a previous owner''s suicide when going to sleep.


    The detector didn''t beep sharply, and the needle stayed in the blue-safe zone.


    Ethan raised the gas lamp overhead. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Besides the marks on the beam, he saw something else.


    A line of small characters.


    The writing was very sloppy, right next to the marks; Luoxang''s handwriting left his final message to the world before ending his life.


    ¡ª¡ª"Luoxang was here."

 Chapter 31: Buying Out Life (Thanks to Alliance Leader

    Chapter 31 - 31: Buying Out Life (Thanks to Alliance Leader "Be a Commoner 0723"!)Ethan held a gas lamp in his left hand and a detector in his right, exploring every room. The pointer on the detector remained in the blue zone at all times, without making any harsh noises, which indicated that everything in the house was normal.


    Based on the information sent from the Reception Bureau, Luoxang didn''t seem like the type to turn into a ghost seeking vengeance.


    The attack in the neighboring Riverside Town made everyone anxious, so the staff at the Imperial Reserve, upon discovering the body, immediately sent the corpse along with the clown costume and mask Luoxang usually wore for cremation, accompanied by three professional Demon Hunters from the Guild who conducted the entire process with the ceremony used for deceased comrades.


    The ceremony could allow the soul of the deceased to rest in peace and not become a vengeful ghost.


    Ethan had been in the haunted house for nearly an hour when the sound of a key being inserted into the lock came from the door.


    It was Ave who entered, looking somewhat tired.


    "It rained. Mr. Marshall said that on that day there was a social gathering at the Ximu Town branch which invited Luoxang to liven up the atmosphere. The staff said he was soaked in rain upon arrival, and seemed absent-minded. He messed up his performance at the party, knocking over a bottle of expensive red wine during a juggling act and got reprimanded."


    Ave tried to summarize the information Mr. Marshall conveyed to her in brief language.


    After Ethan left, Mr. Marshall was still upset, so his wording wasn''t so... gentle.


    He considered Luoxang a waste, a coward, unable to even manage the most basic performances, and that after just getting reprimanded and drenched in rain, he was driven to suicide.


    Marshall was indifferent to Luoxang''s death. After Ethan left, he complained to Ave that these scums at the bottom of society only cause trouble for them.


    They provided Luoxang with a job and a means of livelihood, and what was the result?


    This ungrateful clown was still causing mischief in the apartment after his death, severely delaying their work progress.


    Ethan expressed his judgment, "He wouldn''t commit suicide over such a trivial matter."


    Ave mentioned that Luoxang made mistakes at work that day, which likely indicated abnormalities beforehand, and now, they only knew Luoxang ended his life in this apartment, unable to determine whether his death was influenced by a cursed object.


    Ave seemed surprised, "You knew him?"


    "Sort of. During the Guild''s annual meeting, I took over his work, and in my impression, he was a cheerful and dedicated person."


    To be honest, Ethan admired Luoxang.


    Luoxang''s existence allowed Ethan to witness an entirely different kind of life. If, when he first arrived in Ximu Town, he hadn''t found a place to stay without paying at the Guild and instead took a large loan from the Imperial Reserve to buy a house, he might also be living under enormous debt every day now.


    For those unable to repay their debts, the Imperial Reserve kindly provided jobs.


    Luoxang, being cheerful and good at making people happy, became Ximu Town''s "designated" clown, but in reality, every job he had was arranged by the Imperial Reserve. Where to go, who to entertain, and even daily working hours were decided by others.


    There was a popular saying in the Guild.


    Once you owe money to the Imperial Reserve, your life is practically bought out by them. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before clearing your debt, your physical strength, brain, and freedom would be controlled by the Lofic Consortium.


    And in this era, there is no labor law to speak of.


    Ethan later learned that those without specialized skills would be sent to work physical labor in the mines near Ximu Town. When Gear City was extensively building new military factories, a batch was sent away too, with daily working hours starting at ten. Those who left never returned, and soon no one talked about them.


    A clown''s role is far from easy. Besides high-intensity performances, Luoxang had to constantly rack his brains during breaks on how to entertain everyone.


    The life force of a joke only lasts once, so he had to continuously replenish his reserve.


    These were insights learned after the Guild''s annual meeting when the two had a conversation.


    At the time, they sat in front of the fireplace on the Guild''s first floor, with beer for the celebration on the table, and Luoxang shared many new jokes he thought of with Ethan, asking him to evaluate them as the audience.


    Luoxang enjoyed it. He relished in others being happy because of him.


    Ethan also witnessed Luoxang being picked on during performances. In people''s eyes, the identity of a clown was inferior, and the staff from the Imperial Reserve spoke of him with undisguised disdain in their eyes.


    This clown, who always brought joy and laughter, reminded Ethan of a saying ¨C true heroism is recognizing the reality of life and yet still loving it.


    Ethan considered that if he and Luoxang swapped life trajectories, it was highly possible that Mr. Marshall, the big banker, would have encountered the Fireball Skill on his way to work one day.


    Now it seems, even heroes have days when they can''t hold on.


    Ave finished investigating with the detector and said, "There''s nothing unusual in the apartment. It''s possible some action by Marshall triggered a curse, or it might be the work of a witch."


    "Or it could be time-related, like the curse activates at a specific point in time," Ethan added.


    Ave was unaware that Becky and her seven old stewards had been buried in the dirt outside a cabin in the woods; she was constantly on guard against the witch and her minions infiltrating the town.


    Unfortunately, the Imperial Reserve had incinerated Luoxang''s body; otherwise, the Dead Revival Scroll could have helped them understand what happened in the days leading up to his death.


    "Yes, exactly."


    Ave paused for a moment, realizing this was probably why detectives always needed an assistant. Working with Ethan made her feel like she had grown another brain, making case handling much more efficient.


    Just like now, Ethan had already devised an investigation plan, "Miss Keroy and I will stay in the apartment. You go investigate where the deceased had been in the three days prior and check for any anomalies, considering your other role as the town''s sheriff, residents are more willing to provide you with information."


    Ave didn''t object, "I''ll bring you food tomorrow morning. I won''t forget this time."


    After that, she thought for a moment and added, "Hope you and Miss Keroy don''t dig up any bodies this time."


    "I will do my best."


    Ethan had to emphasize this was a world full of peril, and this case involved some kind of unknown cursed object, indicating a high degree of danger.


    The only promise he could make to Ave was not to proactively create bodies.


    But if a body attempted to attack him while he was asleep, the outcome wouldn''t be in his control.


    Currently, as an E-level investigator of the Reception Bureau, having witnessed a familiar name commit suicide by hanging in this apartment, he naturally formed an instinctive reaction.


    He wanted to know why Luoxang died.


    This case is full of bewildering twists and turns, leaving Ethan without any clues at the moment. Perhaps he should try solving the problem through elimination.


    First, Miss Becky and her seven old stewards can be ruled out.


    They have solid alibis.

 Chapter 32: Reflection

    Chapter 32 - 32: ReflectionAfter Ave left, Ethan dragged a small chair into the living room, sat in front of the pile of miscellaneous items, and began sorting through Luoxang''s relics. Miss Keroy, on the other hand, found a corner, curled her body up, and buried her head into her wings'' feathers for a nap.


    The pile mainly consisted of old furniture. Ethan placed the detector beside his feet and, after half an hour of rummaging, yielded nothing.


    Unable to find anything, he dragged a hardboard bed back into the bedroom, lay flat on it, aimlessly staring at the ceiling beams, with the detector beside his head, and gradually fell into a drowsy sleep.


    His nap lasted until midnight when he was awakened by Miss Keroy.


    A faint "cooing" sound came from the living room. Ethan listened carefully from his bed, the sound was soft, much like someone talking to another.


    His eyes moved to the detector beside his bed, its needle pointing to yellow, occasionally emitting static like a television snow screen.


    Before dawn, the haunted house finally had a faint field wave, which meant Mr. Luoxang might have come home.


    As Ethan walked out of his bedroom, he spotted Miss Keroy tilting her head curiously, standing behind a translucent figure. She tried to garner the figure''s attention with her "cooing," yet the man sitting in the void seemed completely unaware of her presence.


    Miss Keroy tiptoed and attempted to nudge the man''s back with her head, yet went straight through his body instead.


    "Coo?"


    She was even more puzzled.


    Though the man wore a clown headpiece and a circus uniform, she still recognized him because Mr. Luoxang was a kind person who occasionally fed her breadcrumbs and candies at the coop, placing him second only to Ethan on her list of favorable individuals.


    "Please don''t disturb Mr. Luoxang; he''s busy," Ethan called out, prompting Miss Keroy to naively nod, retreating towards the corner of the room step by step.


    Mr. Luoxang seemed strange today, making her uneasy. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ethan sighed, fearing Miss Keroy might not grasp the scene before them: why do people return home even after death?


    "100 Types of Dark Creatures" documented such occurrences. When Demon Hunter August passed through a small village, he accidentally encountered a similar ghostly presence. The clients were an elderly couple whose daughter left home days ago and never returned since, subsequent peculiarities began occurring in their home.


    August termed the phenomena "Reflections," stating these entities aren''t ghosts but supernatural images lacking self-awareness and incapable of communication¡ªnor do they attack the living. Their sole action is repeating certain behaviors from their past lives.


    Reflections do not last long, dissipating usually within three to five days, marking the deceased''s final traces in the world.


    August believed the appearance of reflections signaled that the deceased had unfinished business when they died.


    Ethan retrieved a table from the pile, pushing it in front of the reflection, followed by a chair for it to sit on, enabling him to approximately gauge Mr. Luoxang''s behaviors.


    Luoxang was reviewing some object, occasionally taking a pen to jot down words. Despite the clown mask obscuring his face, his actions of reading and writing indicated his growing anxiety.


    This signifies he does this daily.


    Exhaustedly returning home at night, without removing the mask or circus attire, immediately sitting at the desk, reviewing something.


    After ten minutes, Luoxang closed the object heavily, threw the pen aside carelessly, slumped into the chair, gazing at the apartment ceiling for a while, before eventually gathering himself up, patting his face hard, seemingly muttering something.


    He then took the object from the table, entering the bedroom.


    He placed the object directly opposite the hardboard bed, just two steps from where Marshall contracted the laughing disease.


    Ethan was sure the item Luoxang stored wasn''t in the pile; nothing resembling a book was present inside.


    This left only one possibility.


    When the Imperial Reserve sorted Luoxang''s apartment, they took away the book and its container, which might directly be the cause of Marshall''s laughing disease.


    Marshall was untrustworthy.


    Despite being affected by the cursed item, sending a distress letter to Gear City''s Reception Bureau, he didn''t truthfully mention Luoxang''s apartment book in the letter. Ethan suddenly recalled Ave''s stated objective ¡ª her coming to the desolate frontier town of Ximu Town was solely to seek a magic book.


    Could it be Luoxang unwittingly acquired this magic book?


    Ethan stopped pondering; he chose not to waste brain cells on idle thoughts. As long as Marshall was confirmed to have hidden something from the Reception Bureau, the rest could be handled by Ave. He believed that even if Marshall remained uncooperative, Ave would find a way to make him speak.


    Ave collected many magic scrolls and potions. Ethan heard of one potion called the Truth Serum, capable of revealing Marshall''s darkest secrets with just a drop in the water, being far more effective than 21st-century polygraphs.


    "Miss Keroy, let''s go report to our superior!"


    Upon receiving orders, Miss Keroy glanced towards the bedroom once more, witnessing Luoxang''s shadow growing fainter until it vanished before her eyes.


    She watched in surprise, her eyes widening in astonishment as she took hesitant steps towards the door.


    Miss Keroy with her keen sense of smell and great strength could run fast even while carrying someone, but this time she wasn''t headed straight for Ave''s luxurious apartment, but towards a bar on this block. Although a closed sign hung outside, faint lighting emanated from within.


    "Lady Rose, we¡ª"


    Ethan pushed the door open, but the bar''s interior prevented him from saying another word.


    He found Ave inside, albeit not at an ideal time.


    Currently, Ave held a gun pointed at the bar owner, who raised his hands in terror. Ethan''s entrance disrupted the standoff, drawing both their gazes simultaneously towards him.


    "Miss Keroy,"


    Ethan solemnly whispered an order, "Stand guard at the entrance; don''t let anyone in."


    Miss Keroy took position, standing spiritedly at the doorway like a sentinel.


    Ethan strode briskly to the bar counter, donning leather gloves under their watchful eyes, ensuring no fingerprint traces were left. Then, he opened the cash cabinet, took out the golden lions and silver antelopes, scattering them across the bar top.


    "...What are you doing?"


    Ave''s eyelids twitched extensively.


    "Setting up a scene," Ethan pulled on his gloves like a true professional, "Making it appear like a robbery and murder occurred here."


    "You stand over there too."


    The gun''s barrel swung towards Ethan, and Ave bit her lower lip until it bled, "Raise your hands above your head!"

 Chapter 33: Sincerity Is the Ultimate Trump Card

    Chapter 33 - 33: Sincerity Is the Ultimate Trump Card"Buddy, I advise you to confess truthfully, or even I won''t know how horrendous Lady Rose might become later."


    Ethan obediently raised his hands above his head, standing shoulder to shoulder with the bartender. He leaned close to him and whispered, "The last person she interrogated, not a piece of skin was left intact, screamed miserably all night before finally dying. I''m helping you here."


    He roughly assessed the situation in the bar; this was the most well-informed place in the civilian district. Luoxang often came to this bar, named "Golden Rose," for a drink after finishing work. The only problem was that Golden Rose was linked to border gangs and naturally wasn''t fond of Ave, a "cop."


    Clearly, the exchange between the two parties wasn''t going well, almost at the point of conflict.


    When Ave pointed her gun at the bartender, he also reached for the dagger hidden in the bar''s secret compartment.


    "I didn''t!"


    Ave''s face flushed red, and the golden hair on her head excitedly formed an "X" shape.


    "You could say you did, perhaps he might confess out of fear."


    Ethan felt frustrated. He just saw the bartender''s hand shake. If Ave would only cooperate by flashing a cruel smile, his mental defenses would completely crumble. Unfortunately, he and Ave had only worked together for a day, and their synergy needed improvement.


    With Ave''s denial, the bartender slowly reached for the dagger again.


    "Well, she hasn''t tortured interrogation subjects, but she''s killed 56 people just like you."


    The bartender''s small motion stopped once more. He glanced at Ave instinctively, but this time, Ave remained silent, merely frowning and not refuting.


    The bartender was completely terrified now.


    This woman killed 56 people!?


    Even the most vicious thugs in the gang hadn''t killed so many!


    Ethan, who originally wanted to seize the moment and pursue, felt a chill in his heart. The 56 people were something he had made up on the spot to make Ave seem more intimidating, yet something unexpected happened.


    Ave, she acknowledged it.


    Oh no!


    They accidentally found such a terrifying truth!


    This time, even Ethan felt a flutter of unease.


    Honesty is the ultimate weapon.


    When the bartender noticed Ave avoiding eye contact with Ethan, feeling somewhat guilty, he almost immediately raised his hands above his head too, proclaiming to avoid becoming the 57th unfortunate victim, "I can tell you about Luoxang. This is a legally operated bar. I''ve always been a law-abiding Empire citizen. We can sit down and talk properly... Oh, would you two like some drinks? On the house."


    No matter what murderous plan Ave was contemplating, at least the three of them had sat at the bar, allowing the interrupted conversation to continue.


    "Listen, I don''t know if this is related to your investigation, but as far as I know, Luoxang owes the Imperial Reserve a huge sum of money. He''s living in poverty. They come to the bar every night to tell noble jokes, earning some extra cash. We''ve all advised him not to borrow from the Imperial Reserve anymore. He''s so deep in debt he can''t even pay the interest, but he won''t listen¡ªhe''s completely trapped."


    Upon hearing this, Ethan asked, "Is he still borrowing from the Imperial Reserve? Why?"


    Luoxang mentioned he took a loan from the Imperial Reserve to buy an apartment in the civilian district and would need to work in Ximu Town for over twenty years to repay the loan and interest.


    Despite being somewhat offensive, Ethan immediately thought of some unpleasant things.


    Like maybe Luoxang got into gambling or became addicted to magic potions made by some illicit alchemists; otherwise, he couldn''t imagine anything causing such a quick personality change in such an optimistic, positive person, leading to repeated loans from the Imperial Reserve.


    Luoxang must be aware of the consequences of such actions. When debt becomes insurmountable, his life will be completely bought out.


    "It''s for his daughter."


    The bartender lowered his head helplessly. Initially, they thought Luoxang had picked up some negative habits, but whether it was gambling or magic potion addiction, they had ways to forcibly help him quit. But this particular matter was beyond their ability to intervene, "His daughter has a great talent for magic, and she was noticed by a Great Mage from the Astrology Association, who is willing to be her teacher."


    All three simultaneously fell into silence.


    Mages are recognized as the most costly path to transcendence. The materials for making scrolls and setting up arrays are accumulated with actual gold and silver.


    Yet even so, few can resist the allure of stepping into the transcendental realm, especially when the other party is a certified Great Mage from the Astrology Association.


    Ethan knew Luoxang had a dream: to repay the loans so the family could live harmoniously in Ximu Town.


    A simple yet humble wish.


    Yet it still didn''t explain why Luoxang would suddenly end his life and leave a curse in that apartment.


    "You see Luoxang every day, has there been anything unusual about him recently?"


    "Unusual? A carefree guy like him could never be unusual, right?"


    The bartender sneered, "Sometimes I envy him. He''s drowning in debt but still manages to smile. Oh, a few days ago he told me his daughter was coming to town to see him. That girl passed the first-level magician certification exam, and he said she would perform magic tricks for us at the bar."


    Ethan could imagine the scene after a nighttime performance, where Luoxang, with exhaustion, chatted with the bartender at the bar front.


    The bartender was right, such a carefree...


    Ethan''s expression suddenly changed, accentuating his words, "Did you just say Luoxang''s daughter was coming to see him?"


    The bartender shrank back and spoke in a lower voice due to Ethan''s intimidating expression, "That''s what he said."


    "When did this happen?"


    "Just three days ago."


    "Where did she come from?"


    "How would I know? I haven''t been to the Astrology Association. Does it matter where she came from? The man''s already dead." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whenever Luoxang''s death was mentioned, the bartender''s temper flared, "Anyway, you guys are here to investigate this case, right? Tell me, how did he die? It''s impossible that he committed suicide¡ªsurely the Imperial Reserve drove him to death!"


    "The Astrology Association closest to Ximu Town is in Morning Star City."


    Ave, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up. Her tone was light, her face still showing no trace of emotion, as if only stating a fact based on the bartender''s information.


    "Morning Star City is southwest of Ximu Town. If his daughter came from there, she would have passed through Riverside Town two days ago."

 Chapter 34: Luoxang鈥檚 Tragic Tale Unfolds

    Chapter 34 - Luoxang''s Tragic Tale UnfoldsThe bar was plunged into a long silence, and in the quiet, all of Luoxang''s unexplained behavior was clarified.


    The staff of Imperial Reserve mentioned that on the day of his death, Luoxang seemed completely out of it.


    The performance he had practiced countless times went awry, with no humor at all, causing Marshall to lose face in front of guests from Gear City.


    He was ushered out of the banquet hall, stumbling and knocking over a glass of red wine at the doorway as he left.


    The boss''s eyes widened; he tried several times to say something, but nothing came out. He could only take out three glasses, filled them with strong liquor for the three of them, not caring whether Ethan and Ave drank it or not, then raised a glass to an empty air, "To Luoxang, and his daughter."


    Then he drank it all in one gulp.


    But a single glass of strong liquor failed to soothe his emotions, so he picked up the bottle and poured the whole thing down his throat, unsurprisingly slipping and collapsing onto the bar counter asleep.


    Ethan had no intention of touching his glass.


    It was work time, and his supervisor was right next to him.


    "Want to go for a walk? Or you can go back if you want."


    Ave suddenly said.


    Strictly speaking, the case wasn''t particularly complex, as all the clues were pieced together, and they learned about Luoxang''s last day''s experiences.


    Ethan also understood the reflection appearing in the apartment.


    It wasn''t a magic book, but a ledger, likely recording the high-interest loans he had taken from Imperial Reserve, explaining why Luoxang would have to open it each day after returning home from performing at the bar night shows to jot down his extra earnings.


    "The cursed item must be the ledger Luoxang left behind, and Marshall took it away, so he''s cursed."


    Ethan shared his assessment, calming himself, "It should be an item of the ''CI'' classification, causing people to suffer from laughter syndrome, which may be related to the identity of a clown. Currently, it doesn''t show obvious fatality."


    This marked the end of Luoxang''s case, and the next step was straightforward.


    Find out the whereabouts of the ledger from Marshall and hand it over to the Reception Bureau. In Firelight Bay, Old Mu''s shop has a storage locker specifically used for storing cursed items below CI rating.


    They took half a night to excellently fulfill the commission issued by Imperial Reserve, which should help establish a good reputation for the Ximu Town Intelligence Base Station.


    Yet, Ethan felt something was missing, or more accurately, even with the truth uncovered, there was a sense of helplessness.


    The journey was exceptionally quiet; the two walked side by side like a single entity along the town street, experiencing the darkness before dawn, the moment of absolute silence in the world, as Ave already planned ahead: Imperial Reserve''s work time was 7 AM, they had to find a place to have breakfast after using up the remaining time and then settle the commission completely.


    Ethan wasn''t sure how long he had been walking on the pitch-dark street; he inherently disliked going out.


    When he finally came to his senses, they had deviated from the main road, walking the path leading to Baron Gledin''s estate, the manor covered in the shroud of night, all servants asleep.


    Ave walked to the front of the mansion, turned around, gazed into the winding path up the hill.


    "I saw him that day."


    She finally spoke, when she was upstairs in the mansion, her view obscured by the pouring rain, receiving orders from Captain Hagrid who, with mansion guards, rushed into the heavy rain, hurriedly investigating issues with the town''s water source, when a silhouette braving the rain blocked their path on the way downhill.


    Ave couldn''t discern the rain-drenched person''s appearance at the time, but now, that person had a name.


    Luoxang, the town''s clown performer.


    She retrieved an oil-sealed paper from the inner side pocket of her clothes and set the powder inside alight with a match.


    It was the first time Ethan saw Ave use magic taught by Enlightenment Society, akin to elemental magic for elemental shapers, followers of the God of Truth would learn many extraordinary abilities upon advancing to the second stage.


    The powder ignited in a ghostly green flame; as it completely burned, it transformed into a blue smoke that floated towards the winding path not far away.


    Unbeknownst to them, the fog began to rise.


    The white mist outlined several figures, indistinct in appearance, yet Ethan heard familiar voices.


    "Hurry up, gather all water sources in the town!"


    Captain Hagrid shouted, his distinct booming voice pierced through the air, audible even from afar, so naturally, Luoxang heard it too.


    Luoxang was frozen in place.


    As Captain Hagrid was about to brush past him, he hurriedly stopped Hagrid, his voice trembling, "...Are the rumors true?"


    Hagrid was noncommittal, "A witch attacked Riverside Town, you better hurry home. It''s unsafe to stay out now. By the way, don''t drink any water before we finish investigating."


    Luoxang was still relentless, asking, "I mean, did everyone in Riverside Town die? Has the news been confirmed?"


    "Confirmed."


    "Then..."


    Luoxang stood there, clutching Hagrid''s arms, racking his brains, finally clinging to some hope, asking desperately, "Is there a chance that someone somehow survived, hiding and escaping the attack?"


    "How would I know?"


    Hagrid was starting to get impatient.


    They were also racing against time; if they didn''t quickly resolve the town''s water source issues, Ximu Town would meet the same fate as Riverside Town. "I''m in a hurry, let''s talk later!"


    Ethan watched as Luoxang despondently walked down the path, soaking in the rain, sitting at the side of the road, when soon a figure riding swiftly by on horseback passed him.


    It was only then he faintly recalled leaving Baron Gledin''s house that day, catching a glimpse of someone sitting by the road from the corner of his eye, but the heavy rain and his rush to return to the forest cabin distracted him from taking a closer look.


    "Let''s go."


    Ave calmly extended an invitation to Ethan; seeking truth was the mission of a follower of the God of Truth, bestowed upon them the ability to see past.


    The two walked through the mist, witnessing fragments theoretically impossible for them to see.


    Luoxang returned to his apartment, changed into his clown costume for performance, and went to the Imperial Reserve''s party hall, prepared for a certain guest from Gear City, where the live lively atmosphere drowned Luoxang.


    They watched a clumsy performance, definitely not Luoxang''s usual standard.


    The awkward lines resulted in several pauses in the party; finally, a fed-up Marshall kicked him out of the banquet hall.


    Ethan also discovered some things he hadn''t known.


    For instance, Baron Gledin soon regained composure after Ethan left, riding with Ave, Hagrid, leading a united force formed by Guard Corps and Guild Hunters to Riverside Town. They didn''t encounter the witch or her minions there, instructed everyone to gather the corpses.


    They did their utmost to gather names of every deceased into a list.


    Upon returning, Baron Gledin gave a speech in the town square, asserting that their bravery and unity had deterred the witch from Ximu Town; however, vigilance was still needed, as the malignant witch might come back anytime.


    Luoxang was within the crowd.


    After the speech ended, he forced his way to the front, demanding the death list from Captain Hagrid, flipping through each name until he reached the third page, where he came to a halt. Time seemingly stopped at that moment for him, frozen in the same posture, until Hagrid placated him with a pat on the shoulder.


    This became the last straw.


    Back at the apartment, Luoxang examined the ledger one last time, dressed in a neat outfit.


    He found a thick rope, paused under the beam for a long time, then retrieved a carving knife, etched a crooked line of words on the beam.


    "Luoxang was here."


    The mist gradually dissipated; the white human-like shapes before Ethan''s eyes dissolved into nothing, leaving Luoxang''s apartment in silence once more.


    They stood beneath the beam, witnessing all mist gather into a diamond-shaped crystal, drifting towards Ave''s head.


    Ethan had some understanding of how followers of the God of Truth ascended; they were tasked with unveiling enough truths, bringing themselves closer to the real world, sharing more of its power.


    This might be the way truth-seekers harvest truth. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ave''s face still lacked any expression, unobscured by hints of sorrow, and Ethan speculated that she had seen too much of life and death during her pursuit of truth.


    But maybe not entirely.


    He watched as the diamond-shaped crystal was absorbed into Ave''s golden hair.


    Then, that tuft of hair drooped sadly, descending into her sea of golden locks, vanishing without a trace.

 Chapter 35:

    Chapter 35 - 35: "Foolish PeopleThe intelligence sent from Gear City mentioned that banker Mr. Marshall is a workaholic who takes pride in working at the Imperial Capital United Reserve Bank. At least, his work attitude is impeccable. The morning after he was cured of the laughing disorder, he went to the bank to work.


    When Ave and Ethan entered, Marshall, dressed in a suit, was already seated at his desk, and the desk was piled high with documents.


    Miss Keroy stayed under the tree outside the bank waiting for them because the staff at the Imperial Reserve emphasized that pets were not allowed inside.


    Marshall glanced up at the two, and when he saw Ethan holding a hard bread in his arms, his eyebrows furrowed tightly.


    This was Ethan''s breakfast.


    On the way, he had explained to Ave the many benefits of hard bread. It is cheap, very filling, and can even be used as a weapon at critical moments.


    In a game, it would surely be an epic-level equipment.


    Ethan, knowing his place, remained at the door. He not only noticed the way Marshall looked at him but also saw the color of his tongue when he drank water.


    Still black, as if he was about to die from poison.


    "Luoxang''s death has hidden motives."


    Ave started explaining the case. Before they came to the Imperial Reserve, they had asked Captain Hagrid for the death list from Riverside Town. According to Ave''s replication ability, on the third page, she found Luoxang''s wife and daughter''s names. Their cause of death was the same as other Riverside Town residents; they drank the cursed water source unguardedly.


    The knowledge imparted to her by the Astrology Association was still insufficient to break a witch''s curse.


    "His wife and daughter died in Riverside Town, which directly led him to end his own life."


    However, there was one thing Ave and Ethan couldn''t figure out.


    Why did Luoxang''s ledger have curses on it? And why did Marshall specifically take his ledger and hide this crucial information in his plea for help to Gear City.


    "Is it? Is that so..."


    Marshall stared at the death list for a long time, then lowered his head and clenched his fists.


    His reaction surprised Ethan. He didn''t expect someone like Marshall to be sad about Luoxang''s death. But upon closer thought, it made sense, as Mr. Luoxang once brought joy to many people in Ximu Town, perhaps even to Marshall.


    "Useless..."


    Marshall''s next words stopped Ethan''s thoughts abruptly. Initially, he spoke in a low whisper, which gradually grew louder, and his reaction seemed no longer sad but angry, as his clenched fist slammed onto the table, shaking the items on it.


    "Useless thing, the dregs of the lowest layer of society, shameless mangy dogs! Don''t they know how much effort I put into them?"


    When Ethan heard Marshall using such words to describe Luoxang, his mind went blank for a moment. He even thought he was hallucinating because he couldn''t imagine someone would say such vicious words after knowing the truth of the case.


    But Marshall''s incessant ranting made it impossible for him to treat it as an illusion.


    His incredulous gaze swept across Marshall''s fat body, pausing deeply for a few seconds, then...


    Take a deep breath and close his eyes.


    In his mind, he envisioned the cup on the table, with water splashing everywhere from the impact.


    Drinking water in the office is indeed very dangerous, and it could pose a threat to personal safety.


    The latest investigation report from the Reception Bureau shows that water is the world''s most toxic substance; every deceased person drank water before they died.


    Ave quietly waited for Marshall to finish venting before she spoke, "The information sent by the Reception Bureau mentioned that you actively requested to be transferred to the Ximu Town branch."


    Marshall''s loss of composure exactly confirmed her speculation.


    Why would a noble young man from a prestigious family actively make such a request?


    There obviously were many opportunities for him to live comfortably.


    "Is it because the people in Ximu Town are nice? They don''t like reading, have narrow knowledge, and whenever they face a problem they can''t solve, they easily believe others, treating anyone willing to lend a hand as a lifesaver... Such a group of ignorant, shallow fools, even if they accidentally obtained treasures, they wouldn''t be able to recognize it, right?"


    Upon hearing this, Marshall was stunned.


    Ave, coming from the same environment as him, knew how much the nobles were willing to spend on a gifted young Transcendent. They invite these young people to their homes, treating them as guests, and as long as they''re willing, those wealthy families are willing to cover their tuition unconditionally.


    This is the rule by which the world has always operated.


    Hence, the power of Transcendents often lies in the hands of the influential, and those Transcendents are creations built upon wealth.


    However, Marshall discovered a more economical approach.


    During the Transcendents'' growth process, he burdened them with huge debts and then sold them to the empire''s nobles by leveraging those debts.


    Why can''t Transcendents be treated as commodities?


    When Marshall sent his idea to the head office, there was an almost immediate response. The head office greatly supported his plan and offered him a chance to realize it.


    "If Luoxang''s ledger were transported back to Gear City''s branch as a cursed item, the research department would study it, and during that process, they would certainly check every debt recorded in the ledger."


    Ave said her speculation, "Training magicians indeed require a large sum of money, but exactly how much? Could it be so much that a future Transcendent would have to sell themselves to repay it?"


    Actually, Luoxang had no concept of this money and had no idea how the interest would balloon in the future.


    More importantly, he didn''t know that once the debt had soared to an unrepayable level, it would transfer to his daughter.


    But the people in the Reception Bureau could see it.


    Furthermore, they could identify several entirely unnecessary loans from the numerous accounts.


    From Marshall''s angry reaction, it wasn''t hard to discern he believed Luoxang''s daughter would fetch a good price in the future, serving as his stepping stone into the Imperial Union Reserve Bank.


    Ave looked at the scattered documents on the table, where there was a debt transfer agreement.


    The agreement had a familiar name written


    It was Luoxang''s daughter''s name.


    The debt doesn''t disappear with death; this rule was established by the Imperial Reserve, and the living would inherit all the deceased''s obligations.


    "As an investigator of the Reception Bureau, you''re overstepping your bounds."


    Marshall glared at Ave fiercely, "I don''t need to explain the bank''s specific business to you."


    "Retrieving cursed items is my duty."


    "About this matter."


    Marshall impatiently waved his hand, "You are no longer needed, thank you for your hard work, and Gear City''s letter should be arriving soon, right."


    Before he finished speaking, a falcon screeched outside the window.


    A red falcon landed outside the office window. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It brought the order from Gear City''s Reception Bureau.

 Chapter 36: Be Careful with Water

    Chapter 36 - 36: Be Careful with WaterA long letter arrived from the Gear City branch.


    They highly praised the Ximu Town station in their letter, commending them for successfully completing the commission.


    However, the important part of the latter half of the page emphasized that the Imperial Capital United Savings Bank places high importance on this case, communicating and negotiating with central bureau personnel. They subtly indicated that a high-ranking member of the Lofic Consortium attended the meeting. Given the unique nature of the cursed item involved, which contained some crucial internal data of the bank, it would henceforth be handled by the people from the Imperial Reserve.


    Translated simply, it means that the people from the Lofic Consortium want to protect Marshall, bringing this case to a halt; pursuing it further will embarrass everyone involved.


    Marshall specifically emphasized to the two investigators, "The ledger has already been handed over, and it''s probably no longer in Ximu Town now."


    Even if these two Reception Bureau investigators were to make a scene here, or try to press him using the Reception Bureau, it would be futile.


    Ave knew it well.


    Marshall reported the ledger to the central bureau as soon as he received it, even mobilizing the high ranks of the Lofic Consortium, indicating only one thing¡ªLuoxang was not an isolated case; they have already established a complete industry chain in the Empire''s border villages and towns. In a sense, the town''s residents are no different than ores.


    They extract ores, pick out valuable ones, and use a complete set of methods to saddle the families with overwhelming debts; perhaps even the mentors assigned to those children are meticulously selected by the consortium.


    The ledger is the key to unlocking the truth.


    Ave had no way of knowing the reason for its curse.


    Was it Luoxang who cursed it in agony and despair, or did he hope someone else would discover the ledger in his final moments?


    But regardless, it has already flown out of sight.


    The appearance of consortium executives means this affair is destined to end here. The family could tolerate her fleeing the Imperial Capital to a peripheral city like Ximu Town, withstand her persistently sending letters to the royal family and academies, claiming the Lindong Witch is still alive, but would definitely not allow her to become adversaries with the Lofic Consortium over an unrelated town resident.


    But...


    Ave looked towards Ethan standing silently at the door.


    Luoxang was his friend, moreover, a good person. It can be foreseen that many more victims like Luoxang will appear in the future.


    As Ethan''s superior, she felt duty-bound to do something.


    Her mind raced, the golden strands atop her head anxiously swayed back and forth, faintly showing signs of overload smoking.


    "Lady Rose, since Mr. Marshall says so, haven''t we successfully completed our work?"


    Ethan suddenly spoke from behind, "The branch is very satisfied with our work."


    Hearing this, a victor''s smile appeared on Marshall''s face, making him even more arrogant, "In this day and age, liking to delve deeply isn''t necessarily a good thing. Let some things pass when they''re over."


    He stood up, took a wine glass from the cabinet, and poured himself a glass of red wine in front of the two.


    It was indeed a day to celebrate.


    His laughter disorder was cured, the ledger properly handled; after all, this commission essentially had nothing to do with the cursed item, he merely invited some people to treat his symptoms.


    As for that apartment, once tidied up, it can be sold to someone else.


    "You really should learn from him."


    Marshall held the wine glass, intending to personally escort the two to the staircase.


    As a victor.


    "Young man, I have high hopes for you. If you ever misuse blockers and get reported, resulting in a hefty compensation need, just come find me, I''ll tailor a loan plan for you."


    Ethan gave him a slight smile, a gesture in return, "Same to you."


    "I''ve never misused blockers!"


    Marshall''s hand trembled, spilling the wine onto the ground.


    Indeed, this young man was more annoying than Ave, but thankfully, he wouldn''t have to deal with such low-level scum anymore.


    He savored the wine, watching the two walk away along the stairs, yes, when the victor tastes the fruit of victory, the loser should slink away with their tail between their legs.


    Ethan lowered his head, walking downstairs, hearing the derisive laughter from behind.


    But in truth, he had no interest in the ledger left by Luoxang from the start, nor did he ever intend to trace the clues all the way down. Whether this was Marshall''s idea or merely him as a puppet exposed by the Lofic Consortium, Ethan had no interest whatsoever.


    Ethan focused more on the present issues, deciding on what he wanted to do right from the beginning.


    For instance, he noticed Marshall''s hand trembling just now, some wine spilled onto the ground; he also noticed the temperature dropping rapidly lately, faintly showing signs of winter, such weather could likely cause a layer of ice to form on liquid surfaces.


    Given Marshall''s obese body, should he accidentally misstep and roll down the staircase, he''d likely suffer severe injuries, possibly even die on the spot.


    He stepped down the last stair.


    Soon, exclamations from bank staff above were heard, they looked up to see Marshall''s obese body thrown into the air, the victorious wine glass shattering on the ground, the wine unfurling a blood lotus.


    Among the screams, Marshall rolled down all the way, his smile morphing into terror as he reached out with his left hand during the fall, desperately trying to grasp something.


    Next followed the sound of bone breaking.


    Ethan saw Marshall''s broken neck; this big banker lay twisted at the stair edge, his face bent at a right angle towards them. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Indeed, water is the most dangerous substance in the world.


    Ethan met Marshall''s gaze until the latter''s eyes lost the last ray of light, his mouth opening in his final moments, seemingly wanting to say something?


    Was he trying to call for help?


    Or hadn''t prepared to leave yet?


    These did not matter, because at this moment, Marshall had completely lost the ability to speak, unable to utter even a syllable.


    Even Ave was stunned in shock by this visually striking scene, rarely showing an expression of surprise.


    All Imperial Reserve staff seemed under a binding spell, they all saw Marshall''s broken neck, obviously beyond help.


    But no matter how much they racked their brains, they couldn''t imagine the director dying in such a bizarre manner.


    Could it be...


    Is this another curse?


    But to Ethan, such an ending wasn''t surprising; when numerous small coincidences align, they lead to an inevitable end.


    The big banker Mr. Marshall, slipping on the spilled red wine, fell down the stairs and ended his life.


    A heartbreaking accident.


    Staff at Imperial Reserve were witnesses to this accident.


    And Ethan was the first to rush for rescue.


    The lamentations downstairs pulled everyone back to reality, they saw the young Reception Bureau agent running towards Marshall.


    "Old Marshall, oh, old Marshall¡ª¡ª!"


    The heart-wrenching voice echoed long in the Imperial Reserve hall, on this day of misfortune, they witnessed the truest friendship.


    This young Reception Bureau investigator seemed to become the saddest person in the world.


    Bank staff who came forward to help were all moved.


    The relationship between this Reception Bureau investigator and the director must have been very good.

 Chapter 37:

    Chapter 37 - 37: "HumanMr. Marshall ultimately couldn''t make it through the fall, leaves from the trees outside the hospital room drifted to the ground with the wind, and the doctors announced his death.


    In fact, when he was brought to the hospital, anyone with eyes could see he was already dead. Despite this, the hospital still mobilized all medical resources, gathering top doctors to brainstorm and exhaust all means in an attempt to snatch this lost life from the hands of the Death God.


    The Imperial Reserve issued them a death order¡ªthe only hospital in Ximu Town was naturally funded by the Lofic Consortium.


    Though their efforts ultimately ended in failure, it wasn''t entirely fruitless.


    At least Mr. Marshall''s neck, twisted at a right angle, was straightened. Unfortunately, he could only lie flat on the bed, or else, without cervical bone support, his head would droop in a bizarre manner if he changed position.


    Ethan was pushed outside by the medical staff and didn''t even get to see Mr. Marshall one last time.


    He stayed in the hospital corridor until evening, finally relaxing after the doctors announced the death information.


    Employees of the Imperial Reserve passed him, gently patting his shoulder.


    "My condolences."


    Everyone said this to him. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In their eyes, Ethan was so overwhelmed with grief that he was unable to speak.


    So young, yet he had to face his close friend''s tragic death before his eyes, and he was still a Reception Bureau investigator. They could easily imagine that deep sense of powerlessness.


    Indeed, Ethan''s eyes were filled with sorrow.


    The main reason was that he was idling in the corridor, silently studying Ice Magic, and was influenced by the elemental elf''s emotions.


    Mr. Anonymous mentioned in "The Magic Power of Fireball Ice Arrow" that the ice element corresponds to humanity''s lowest emotions, and after today''s event, he had a deeper understanding of the book''s depiction of "people," gradually comprehending why the author believed ice arrows were more suited to resolving disputes between people.


    Compared to the fire element, water and ice are more low-key and hidden.


    The ability to write such words on parchment means Mr. Anonymous must have used Ice Magic to handle many disputes between people.


    However, the ice arrow is not omnipotent; it cannot sever the countless causal chains pulled by a ledger. Ethan knew that at this moment, somewhere unknown to him, another Mr. Luoxang would be walking apprehensively into the Imperial Reserve, taking out a large sum of money amidst the staff''s caring smiles.


    What he could do was only eliminate some specific person in front of him.


    In this world, harm doesn''t come only from dark creatures and Evil God''s followers. Vigilance in practice is paramount; he must catch up with Mr. Anonymous as soon as possible.


    Ethan made up his mind.


    Of course, in the eyes of the Imperial Reserve''s staff and medical personnel, Ethan''s resolute gaze represented another scene¡ªthe young Reception Bureau investigator witnessing his friend''s tragic death decided to commit himself even more fervently to his work, vowing to uncover the truth of his friend''s demise.


    The good news was that Ethan accidentally found a more suitable place to practice ice arrows.


    Under the guidance of good leader Ave, Fireplace Bay finally had a boat ready for him. Beyond the dock was the endless Black Sea, where identities were irrelevant, and naturally, no one would stop him from tossing ice arrows into the sea.


    Practicing ice arrows by the Black Sea had triple benefits: accidents causing injury were less likely, he didn''t have to worry about identity exposure, and he could conveniently look after the store.


    Meanwhile...


    He increasingly wanted to learn teleportation magic.


    Every night he sneaked out of the apartment under cover of darkness, always feeling nervous and guilty. Coupled with the uncertain working hours of an investigator, if Ave came looking for him at midnight due to work and found him absent, it would spell trouble, even if he could use his part-time job at Fireplace Bay as an excuse. But that''s not a long-term solution.


    He only found basic introductory magic in the Mystical Bookstore, and advanced magic like teleportation involving space couldn''t possibly be recorded there.


    Moreover, even if someone sold such high-level magic, with his 20 gold lions of savings, it would definitely be unaffordable.


    From his observation of merchants in Fireplace Bay, bargaining tactics like "I''m an apprentice, sell it cheaper" or "20 gold lions, let''s be friends" would likely be unfeasible.


    Ultimately, he needed to save money, and his custom service business had to start soon.


    But before that...


    Ethan took Miss Keroy on a trip outside the town.


    It seemed like no one had visited here for some time; the earth mound was particularly barren. Holding hard bread, Miss Keroy with a wreath on her head, they walked along gravestones for a long time, finally stopping at one engraved with "Luoxang."


    The tombstone simply bore three characters without any epitaph or additional information.


    Ethan bent down, dusting off the dirt and grime from the tombstone, placed the hard bread on the empty altar, and Miss Keroy also lowered her head, placing the wreath there.


    He stared at the tombstone for a long time.


    "Goodbye, Luoxang."


    ...


    Returning to the apartment, Ave saw Ethan looking troubled and advised him to have a good sleep. She would stay in the apartment and send the report on the Luoxang case back to the Reception Bureau in Gear City using a falcon.


    Ethan couldn''t help but feel grateful for having such a good leader; if it were his past life, he would have received orders like "Finish writing the case summary ASAP and send it to me by 7."


    He began preparing dinner for Miss Keroy, making a pot of tomato and potato soup with some pork belly, his mood easing as he watched Miss Keroy devour it so eagerly she almost seemed to bury her head in the bowl.


    He considered that now Mr. Marshall''s family must also be preparing the funeral, his body would be sent back to Gear City, then surrounded by flowers and a priest''s eulogy.


    Despite Mr. Marshall resembling a dead fat pig, only providing 1 point of ice arrow proficiency, he still made some contribution, giving Ethan a deeper understanding of the transformation between ice and water.


    Ethan filled the potato pork soup into a clay pot and knocked on the door of the apartment next door.


    Ave looked exhausted, her golden hair drooping listlessly over her head, appearing deeply sleep-deprived with heavy dark circles.


    "This is the meat soup I prepared; I used to cook this often for hunters at the guild. The taste should be acceptable."


    "Oh, put it on the table."


    Ethan felt that Ave walked as if drifting; she seemed to have just sent the case summary, as a feather pen and letter paper remained on the table.


    Ave leaned back in the oak chair, the fragrance of the meat soup spreading through the room, relaxing her tense nerves. She gazed at the soup, her vision gradually blurring, food forming double images in her eyes.


    Just as she was about to close her eyes, a pat from the golden hair atop her head startled her, straightening her reflexively, appearing like a student suddenly called upon by a teacher while sleeping in class.


    "Choose option C."


    After this irrelevant assertion, the living room plunged into an awkward silence.


    Ave offered no explanation; she simply picked up the clay pot, about to bury her face in it like Miss Keroy.


    "Hmm, tastes pretty good."


    Moments later, she gave her verdict.


    "That''s good, I was worried it might not suit your taste."


    Ethan said, after all, he used only the cheapest ingredients, "It''s getting late, you''ve been busy all day, you should rest early."


    "Ethan."


    After only a few steps away, Ave suddenly called him.


    "Hmm?"


    "Not all nobles are like that."


    Ave''s voice weakened as she continued, almost inaudible, "At least... I''m not."

 Chapter 38: Aren鈥檛 you afraid of hurting your feet?

    Chapter 38 - 38: Aren''t you afraid of hurting your feet?"I know, you''re the universe''s unbeatable number one leader."


    Ethan gave Ave a thumbs up, his emotions sincere. His previous work experiences made him think such a good leader might only exist in fictional works, the last fantasy many have before dying from overwork.


    "That''s... a bit of an exaggeration."


    Ave avoided Ethan''s gaze, while the golden fur on her head reacted more directly, shyly covering its face with both hands and twisting awkwardly.


    "It''s almost time, I should go back and rest."


    Ethan said.


    The friendly neighborhood exchange complete, his impression in the leader''s mind should have improved, bringing him a step closer to his ideal of being transferred to the Reception Bureau headquarters.


    Of course, sleeping was impossible, how could someone his age possibly fall asleep?


    Before heading to Fireplace Bay, he needed to do some basic disguise.


    A simple gray Magic Master''s robe, a worn-out Wizard hat, a wooden Mage staff, and the essential mask, Ethan scrutinized himself in the mirror. Other than the somewhat shabby gear making him look a bit "battle-tested," he still appeared quite dashing, looking very much like a professional Elemental Shaper.


    News of a mysterious Elemental Shaper arriving at the docks had spread in the tavern, offering high-end custom magic scroll services for guests.


    However, customer flow was not ideal.


    This kind of pitch was not uncommon in Fireplace Bay. Those truly knowledgeable could tell that the Elemental Shaper named Heisenberg likely couldn''t afford the deck stall. When they learned a custom commission cost 30 gold lions, they immediately pegged him as a scammer.


    The kind of scammer wanting to get rich overnight.


    Ethan paid no heed to others'' discussions. As they say, starting is always the hardest part. He was confident that once a few orders were fulfilled, more clients would come to him, as he could offer custom services that a Magic Scroll Shop couldn''t provide¡ªpeople of this era simply didn''t understand the value of the term "custom."


    Before that, he just needed to stay by the sea, silently practicing his ice arrows.


    Watching the skill proficiency of "+1" incessantly, this fulfilling night brought Ethan back to the past. He also found joy in the monotonous practice; when he accidentally discovered that the fired ice arrows could skip across the sea, things got out of hand.


    Initially, the ice arrows could only make two or three splashes on the sea, but after Ethan''s relentless practice, he felt his connection to the ice element growing stronger. When the last ice arrow made twenty ice spots on the sea, he exuberantly raised his arms and leapt up with the ice element.


    We are the champions!


    Though the first "Ice Arrow Skipping Competition" had Ethan as its sole participant, it didn''t stop him from reveling in the joy of victory with the ice element. It''s well known that the champion of the first event holds a very special place in history.


    Ethan could feel that today the ice element was no longer downcast; it was excited as it hadn''t been in a long while.


    He and the ice element exchanged smiles, everything understood without words.


    Sometimes, a man''s joy with the ice element is just this simple.


    In response, passersby along the seaside and guards all voiced their opinions¡ªcrazy!


    Even in Fireplace Bay, such lunacy was uncommon.


    News spread without leaving a trace.


    A lunatic adept at ice arrows showed up by the beach¡ªdon''t get too close, or risk getting hit in the face with an ice arrow.


    ''Ice Arrow (Mastered): Proficiency: 21/150''


    Ethan was satisfied as he checked the panel; today''s practice was over. He noticed the ice element seemed about done playing too.


    With the increase in skill proficiency, gaining proficiency became harder and harder. By the stage of third-level mastery, it was no longer possible to increase proficiency with each ice arrow cast. Nearly 20 points of proficiency improvement in one night was like riding a rocket, much faster than when he practiced Fireball Skill before. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It seemed he was destined to become a master of ice elements.


    Fireplace Bay''s skies would never brighten. Many speculated that this place existed in some special space outside of reality¡ªthe Lofic Consortium had invested heavily in having the world''s top Magic Masters create this dimension. Here, it was both the consortium''s trade center and law.


    Day one, customer flow: 0.


    Ximu Town''s skies should be brightening too; time to go back and get some good sleep.


    Ethan had planned out his next steps, but just as he turned, that plan was disrupted¡ªas Old Sen Magic Scroll Shop was about to close, his first guest arrived.


    Ave?


    Ethan was stunned on the spot.


    This guest was a woman, wearing a whirlpool mask almost identical to Ave''s, but on closer inspection, there were significant differences.


    She had long white hair cascading down to her waist, with the whirlpool mask only revealing her red pupils.


    White hair and red eyes, traits that would thrill countless gentlemen.


    Ethan learned from a book that in the Empire''s north, a special ethnic group lived, distinguished by white hair and red eyes. He had planned a future trip to the Empire''s north upon reading this description.


    He should have greeted the guest with a warm smile, but he couldn''t smile.


    This was the first time since crossing over that Ethan felt pressure from someone else.


    Just looking into her eyes made his hands and feet cold.


    So cold!


    It wasn''t just a sudden drop in temperature; there was a chill seeming to come from deep within his soul.


    The white-haired woman simply gazed at him calmly. From her exquisite deep-blue silk robe, Ethan could easily judge her noble origin. He also noticed a bracelet on her right wrist, emanating a light blue glow.


    Further down were a pair of slender, well-proportioned legs. She stood barefoot on the ground, her transparent toes clearly visible.


    "Do you like feet?"


    The white-haired woman followed Ethan''s gaze and took a thoughtful look.


    "No, I just suddenly thought of a question."


    Ethan furrowed his brow. Even after the white-haired woman spoke, he showed no intention of avoiding the topic; he looked even more intently, even resting his hand on his chin, appreciating like a connoisseur.


    Such porcelain-like flawless skin, one could imagine the smooth, soft touch without needing to feel it.


    "What question?"


    While asking, the white-haired woman even raised her right foot, willingly showing Ethan the bottom part.


    Ethan ended his appreciation, posing this thought-provoking question, "Are you not afraid of stepping on nails walking barefoot?"


    With such delicate, small feet, if she accidentally stepped on a nail, it would certainly hurt for a long time, right?


    He was now really worried his client might fall victim to sharp objects, especially nails, on the beach.


    "No, I''m not afraid."


    The white-haired woman placed her foot back on the ground calmly, saying, "I heard people in the tavern saying a mysterious Elemental Shaper arrived at Fireplace Bay, offering high-end magic scroll customization services to guests."


    "Yes, that''s me."


    To establish his identity and build client trust, Ethan showed the white-haired woman his wooden staff, a symbol of magic professions.


    The white-haired woman confirmed, "Any kind of service?"


    "Of course."


    "Well then, I''d like to consult about something related to love."

 Chapter 39: Your Love Advisor

    Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Your Love AdvisorEthan¡¯s career is facing a tremendous test.


    As a legendary singleton since the day he was born, his first private client turned out to be here for love advice.


    Is he even qualified?


    The white-haired woman pulled out a bulging pouch of money in front of him, untied the red string on it, and showed him the golden sight inside.


    At least, it¡¯s worth a try.


    Ethan swallowed hard and made a difficult decision.


    Hasn¡¯t he ever seen pigs even if he hasn¡¯t eaten pork before? After all, he did live in a time of extremely developed internet, although he hadn¡¯t specifically studied books about romance guides, he at least flipped through one or two romance novels, and his heart did flutter for those sweet moments in novels.


    "What problem have you encountered, madam?"


    "Well, I once had a boyfriend, we were very close, living in the same house, cooking with the same pot, often sleeping in the same bed."


    Oh no!


    Ethan¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    This girl has a boyfriend, and it sounds like they¡¯ve been living together for a long time, while he¡¯s still a total novice in relationships, saying she¡¯s experienced would not be an exaggeration. As for him, forget about cohabiting with a girl, he¡¯s only seen kissing in movies and animations.


    If he rashly gives some immature advice, his identity as a little chef might be instantly exposed.


    But as a competent businessman, Ethan couldn¡¯t let his unease show on his face. He had to brace himself and follow the girl¡¯s words, "Is it that there are problems between you and your boyfriend?"


    "A few years ago, I left the place where we lived together due to irresistible reasons."


    "So, you guys have been in a long-distance relationship in these years."


    Ethan propped his chin with his hand, trying to use some professional terms to make himself appear like a relationship expert.


    "Long-distance relationship?"


    The red eyes under the mask looked a bit puzzled.


    "It means you are maintaining a romantic relationship even though you are geographically apart."


    This is a big issue, Ethan had already heard of the challenges of long-distance relationships. In the cases he knew, over eighty percent eventually ended in failure, and that was a time when people could video call at any moment!


    And in this world, after years without seeing each other, they could only communicate through letters, making the relationship between lovers even more fragile.


    This gave Ethan a bad premonition.


    Could this girl be ordering a magic scroll from him to deal with her boyfriend after a long-distance relationship fail?


    The white-haired girl nodded, "Yes, that¡¯s why I¡¯m worried he won¡¯t recognize me anymore."


    "How could that be? Don¡¯t underestimate the power of love. For true lovers, even if it¡¯s been years, decades, they¡¯d still recognize each other at a glance!"


    That¡¯s how romance novels write it, and it¡¯s also been Ethan¡¯s creed.


    He is a steadfast romanticist.


    Ethan felt that he conveyed his belief in love well to the white-haired girl, she seemed touched, giving him a deep look as if she agreed with his viewpoint.


    "But recently, something troubling happened. I discovered that my boyfriend is very close with a female colleague. Not only do they work together, but they also live nearby, he often visits the female colleague¡¯s house, cooks for her, and they¡¯re always seen together looking very happy every day..."


    So cold!


    Suddenly so cold!


    Even Ethan, as an Elemental Shaper specializing in ice, couldn¡¯t help but shiver a few times, hugging his arms tight. It was a shiver from deep within his soul, the pair of red eyes beneath the vortex mask seemed to fall into eternal darkness.


    This reminded Ethan of a saying.


    The murderous look in one¡¯s eyes cannot be concealed.


    Though it was just a brief moment, terror and coldness touched the soul.


    However, the next moment, all the oppressive feeling vanished, Ethan heard a laugh coming from under the vortex mask, the laugh was light, like a flowing spring, "But actually, that¡¯s just a pure friendship between colleagues, right?"


    "Of course."


    Realizing this might be a matter of life and death, Ethan became very attentive and said, "In such times, it¡¯s even more important to calmly analyze. For example, have you seen any gestures between them that go beyond friendship?"


    "No."


    "So, don¡¯t let anger blind you. Perhaps they¡¯re just friends."


    "Anger? I¡¯m not angry."


    The white-haired girl wondered, "I was just thinking about whether to tie him up and lock him in a cellar where no one can find, so every time he opens his eyes, he¡¯d only see me."


    What kind of horror story are you telling out of the blue!


    "You absolutely mustn¡¯t! Actions lack in moderation will only backfire in such circumstances."


    For some reason, a strong sense of responsibility suddenly emerged within Ethan, although the white-haired girl appeared to have a romantic past, she was very extreme in handling emotional matters, "Since you¡¯ve come to me, I¡¯m also not half-hearted about it, seeing you both reuniting after a long separation, why not start with that."


    "Hmm?"


    "What I mean is, we can plan an unforgettable reunion."


    Although Ethan didn¡¯t understand love very much, he knew something about male psychology, as the saying goes, those who have never been in love tend to have beautiful fantasies about love, even if those fantasies seem unrealistic.


    But, this is a world where magic exists.


    Turning those unrealistic fantasies into reality is the unique charm of magic.


    He entered work mode, "When do you plan to meet him?"


    "After I¡¯ve finished with my current work."


    The white-haired girl pondered a bit before saying. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Even better, we have plenty of time. Not to brag, but the magic scrolls I make are unique in their own way, guaranteed to leave a deep impression on your boyfriend until decades later, the kind that won¡¯t easily be forgotten!"


    Ethan patted his chest to guarantee, with many thoughts already in his mind.


    Yet before that, there¡¯s a problem he must address, "Could you wear shoes when you go out?"


    This cannot be tolerated.


    He¡¯s really worried that before the big day arrives, his client might step on a nail and tragically succumb to tetanus at a young age.


    "I understand now."


    The white-haired girl suddenly realized, "What type of shoes do you like?"


    "Crystal high heels... huh? This has nothing to do with the type of shoes I like, right? I¡¯m really just concerned about you stepping on nails; it¡¯s very dangerous."


    First of all, Ethan must stress that he¡¯s not into feet.


    He¡¯s genuinely concerned about his client¡¯s personal safety. In today¡¯s world, merchants as conscientious as him are rare.


    "Hmm."


    The white-haired girl completely ignored his declaration, mumbling to herself, "There should be shoe stores in the big city... It¡¯s settled then, I¡¯ll come back to you."


    Seeing the white-haired girl turning to leave, Ethan hastily tried to retain her, "Let¡¯s keep things formal, you¡¯ve paid so much money and haven¡¯t said what scroll you want to order yet."


    "Magic scroll?"


    The girl¡¯s response made Ethan seriously doubt whether she even listened to the bartender¡¯s advertisement properly, this is a Magic Scroll Shop, love consultation is just an on-the-fly added service.


    "Is there something specific you want now? Anything at all."


    "Then, I¡¯ll order a bouquet of roses."


    "That¡¯s easy."


    Ethan slightly smiled, this was much simpler than crafting a Tri-Frost Arrow, leading her to the charged parchment store, he crafted it on the spot.


    Upon delivery, she almost immediately activated the scroll.


    They were a bunch of sparkling roses, blooming passionately.


    Even through the vortex mask, Ethan felt the client¡¯s pleasant mood.


    Roses are a symbol of love.


    This bouquet surely reminded her of her boyfriend, lending her such a blissful look.


    Ethan waved her farewell, the commission was completed, he should retreat.


    This, is Old Sen Magic Scroll Shop.


    Where you can even get love consultations.

 Chapter 40: Mysterious Masked Woman

    Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Mysterious Masked WomanBefore dawn arrived, cheers erupted in a room in Fireplace Bay Town. A bald man jumped up from his chair in excitement, almost neurotically shouting, "It worked! It worked!"


    In front of him lay an open ledger, with a pile of dazzling exorcism tools next to it.


    Additionally, there were three jars of inhibitors, which were already consumed, leaving a sticky black line at the corner of this disheveled man¡¯s mouth.


    He gestured wildly, "The curse has been lifted!"


    A woman who entered the room upon hearing the commotion looked at the man¡¯s state with a flash of disgust in her eyes, but she quickly buried her emotions. She sat across from him, crossed her legs, and asked, "You¡¯ve worked hard. The higher-ups are very interested in this ledger. You¡¯re an expert in this area, and they want to hear your opinion."


    "Ha! This is a trade secret. Right now, you can¡¯t find even three people on the entire continent who can separate a curse from its cursed item!"


    The man held his head high, intoxicated by his own success. By extracting the curse from the ledger, he felt he had reached the pinnacle of life with a technique even the Reception Bureau didn¡¯t possess. It had originally been his research direction in the department, and yet a genius like him was kicked out by the former director over some trivial violation.


    Now, look who¡¯s the one laughing in the end?


    The director who fired him had long been dead, while he had finally turned all those theories into reality.


    Those fools didn¡¯t understand the greatness of this technology. If they could extract curses, it would mean they truly controlled the power of the Evil God!


    The man could already envision his name being written in history books, worshipped by countless future generations.


    "The Father of Cursed Objects, how does that title sound to you?"


    The woman frowned and glanced at the overly excited man, explaining, "We have no intention of probing your trade secrets. We just want to know the cause of the cursed objects and whether such incidents will occur again."


    The consortium seeks stability and cannot allow a few cursed objects to ruin the entire industry.


    "Ah, you mean this? It¡¯s an extremely low-probability event."


    The man waved dismissively. He wasn¡¯t interested in the origins of the ledger and said, "The essence of cursed objects comes from human obsessions. If a similar situation arises next time, just kill those commoners before they learn the truth. However, if your superiors are interested in artificially creating cursed objects, we can start a long-term collaboration. I¡¯ve done some experiments in this area while working at the Reception Bureau¡¯s research department."


    "I¡¯ll relay your message to the higher-ups."


    "Tick-tock, tick-tock."


    The woman wanted to say more, but her words were interrupted by a sudden faint sound.


    Was that... water?


    Why would there be water sounds?


    She looked up and saw droplets falling onto the bald man¡¯s head. Then, outside the window, the sky was enveloped in a blood-red hue. Although Fireplace Bay is perpetually shrouded in darkness, such a scene was unprecedented.


    What terrified her more was that she hadn¡¯t noticed when this anomaly had appeared.


    The water sounds and the blood-stained sky appeared suddenly, as if time had abruptly jumped while she conversed with the man.


    Chilled to the bone, she was yanked back to reality and looked again at the bald man. He was still in his previous posture, as if explaining the numerous benefits of cursed object research to her, but he could no longer utter a sound.


    The man¡¯s entire body had turned into an ice sculpture, and she hadn¡¯t detected when it had happened.


    Another frightening thought crept in.


    Only a few seconds had passed, yet she felt the man had been silent for a long time.


    Then, an icy sensation touched the back of her hand, something falling onto it, sending shivers down her spine and instinctively making her reach for her gun. As she turned to her waist, her ice-sculpted right hand stopped just before reaching her weapon.


    What... kind of magic is this? S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her mind lingered on that last thought.


    Then, even her thoughts froze.


    ...


    "Hiss¡ª! Why is it suddenly so cold!?"


    The guards at the doorway shivered abruptly.


    His colleague standing with him reflexively hugged his shoulders. This cold was unusual, more biting than the winters they¡¯d experienced during the Empire¡¯s northern front war. He wanted to say something, but the extraordinary sight halted him.


    The two guards exchanged bewildered glances, uncertainly asking, "Was the floor wet before?"


    A second ago, they could hear the expert on cursed objects speaking animatedly, but now, the entire corridor was plunged into silence, broken only by their breathing.


    Both guards confirmed their mutual foreboding. Drawing their swords, they summoned the courage to push open the door.


    The room was empty.


    The expert on cursed objects and the envoy sent by the consortium¡¯s higher-ups were gone, but the water indeed was seeping from the room, wetting the floor, with ice chipping away at a pace visible to the naked eye.


    Meanwhile, Riverside Town was deadly silent.


    "Tick-tock, tick-tock."


    Hearing a sudden sound nearby, the woman standing in front of the mailbox with a smiling mask turned to look.


    The space before the teleportation magic node twisted to a point, and from the distorted space, a woman wearing a swirling mask emerged, "It¡¯s over so quickly, huh."


    The smiling mask woman seemed slightly disappointed, quietly muttering, "Tch, it went so smoothly."


    The woman in the swirling mask lightly flicked her left hand, tossing over a ledger and a glass jar containing an unknown mass of flesh.


    Holding the jar in her hand, the woman with the smiling mask suddenly noticed something interesting, her tone turning excited, "Oh? What¡¯s this style? Where did that bouquet come from? Did you handle the target holding this bouquet just now? Bought from Fireplace Bay¡¯s magic goods store? It looks quite decent. Come on, how much did you spend?"


    "Boyfriend¡¯s gift, do you have one?"


    The answer and the subsequent question landed firmly and resoundingly.


    That hit directly stunned the woman with the smiling mask, locking her expression and making her unable to smile anymore. She angrily let out a battle cry, "Where did you get a boyfriend? Even if you have one, so what? I¡¯ve lost count of how many men I¡¯ve dated. We¡¯re not even in the same league!"


    "Did any of them give you flowers?"


    The smiling mask woman couldn¡¯t believe it, her eyes widening. She stammered for a long time before blurting out, "You! Are you insane!?"


    This witch¡¯s mind must be burnt today; why has she suddenly become so aggressive?


    Studying the witch closely once again, she realized the witch¡¯s aggression not only appeared in her words but also seemed ready to shoot fire from her eyes.


    Her momentum weakened instantly, she shrank back, "Wait, have I offended you recently?"


    "The advice you gave me before, was that a lie?"


    "Huh? What advice?"


    "To tie someone up, lock them in a basement nobody can find, and let them open their eyes to see only me every day, why wasn¡¯t he excited at all when he heard that, but instead looked very disgusted?"


    The witch questioned and... threatened her, "If this damages my image, you deserve a cold arrow."


    (Next week is the third round + intelligent push together, probably the most crucial week of the new book. I sincerely ask everyone not to hoard books, please support with a read-through. Thank you so much!)

 Chapter 41: Dream Erosion

    Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Dream ErosionThe Empire¡¯s border has been quite unsafe lately!


    So unsafe that Ethan was called to a meeting after just less than four hours of sleep. There was a blackboard that appeared from who knows where in Ave¡¯s living room, covered with documents sent from Gear City. She even prepared place cards with the code names "Top Wolf" and "Chicken Keeper."


    But before the meeting could begin, Lady Rose had to clarify one thing.


    Her beautiful eyes were full of doubt. "Why are you gnawing on hard bread again?"


    Unconsciously, Ethan seemed to have become inseparable from hard bread, as if it was meant to be in his hand.


    "Because I came without having breakfast... huh? Is breakfast not allowed during the meeting?"


    "Breakfast? It¡¯s almost afternoon now!"


    Realizing Ethan was distracting her, Ave continued, "I didn¡¯t say breakfast wasn¡¯t allowed in the meeting. I¡¯m just asking why you only eat hard bread. How much do you like hard bread?"


    To the unknowing, it might seem the conditions at Ximu Town¡¯s Reception Bureau intelligence station were terrible, and she, as the station chief, was mistreating her subordinates. If this got out to acquaintances in the capital, the Margaret Clan would surely be disgraced by her.


    "Report, Lady Rose, because last time I went to the shop, they were holding a buy ten get three free promotion, and I ended up buying too many!"


    Fortunately, Miss Keroy is never picky about food; she happily eats whatever she¡¯s given. Ethan even noticed once that if there¡¯s no food, she would eat tree bark.


    Ave rubbed her forehead. This buy ten get three promotion was clearly because the hard bread wasn¡¯t selling well, yet this guy acted like he found a treasure.


    It seems she¡¯ll have to invite him over more often to improve his meals in the future.


    "This morning, the Reception Bureau in Gear City sent a letter advising us to temporarily halt all investigation work and warning Ximu Town¡¯s residents not to leave town lightly." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What happened this time?"


    Ethan felt a tightening in his chest. Big events had happened in Ximu Town these past few days more than in the past two years. Could it be that Miss Becky and her seven old butlers won the team resurrection match and are coming to shoot ¡¯Becky¡¯s Revenge Season Two¡¯?


    "A few days ago, a Reception Bureau investigator witnessed the whereabouts of two ¡¯Dream Erosion¡¯ members at the Empire¡¯s border. They seem to be attempting to enter the Empire through a border town."


    The sound of chewing stopped. A pale Ethan handed the remaining two-thirds of his hard bread to Miss Keroy, who accepted it without hesitation and swallowed the whole piece, puffing out her cheeks.


    "Are you talking about that Dream Erosion?"


    Ethan felt he had to add periods between the words to emphasize the severity of the issue.


    "What else?"


    Ethan knew that, according to the trope, he should now have a flashback.


    The first time he saw Dream Erosion in the ¡¯Horned Owl Beast Daily¡¯, it left a deep impression on him. It was a murder case in Gear City, and the victim was the deputy director of the Reception Bureau. He died at his mistress¡¯s house. Their bodies were cut into 316 pieces by some sharp object, scattered throughout the crime scene.


    What¡¯s worse, ¡¯Horned Owl Beast Daily¡¯ included moving pictures, like an old black-and-white movie, allowing Ethan to witness the upscale apartment filled with blood and human tissue from a first-person viewpoint.


    The case occurred shortly after his arrival, leaving an indelible shadow on his young mind.


    Since then, Dream Erosion occasionally appeared in the ¡¯Horned Owl Beast Daily¡¯, and each appearance was accompanied by a high-profile case. No one associated with this organization ever survived, even if they hired the best local guards and reinforced their manor¡¯s defenses to the extreme. It only added a few or dozens more corpses to the scene.


    The victims of Dream Erosion were usually found dead in creatively gruesome ways.


    The crime scenes were seldom seen even in B-movies.


    If one had to describe it, the gap between Miss Becky and Dream Erosion was as wide as that between a small business owner and a Fortune 500 company.


    Over time, the concerned citizens who read the papers like Ethan began to raise a question.


    Why is there a group of murderers targeting Empire nobles, department officials, and church leaders, yet no one can apprehend them?


    At least in Ethan¡¯s two years in Ximu Town, no Dream Erosion member had been caught or killed.


    Consequently, a theory began to spread among the populace.


    Each member of Dream Erosion is a Saint who worships the Evil God, so wherever they go, it¡¯s like the Evil God descends to bring disaster upon the world.


    And now, two such evil Saints appeared simultaneously at the Empire¡¯s border?


    Ethan had a foreboding feeling and trembled as he asked, "Could it be that all these files sent are meant for us to take on those homicidal maniacs?"


    "Of course not. After receiving reports, the Empire is mobilizing an elite Knight Order that will be heading to the border soon. Our task is to assist them in understanding the local situation while we wait in town. In hindsight, the witch hasn¡¯t touched Ximu Town, probably due to news about Dream Erosion."


    "That seems likely!"


    Ethan immediately agreed. "By the way, such big shots like those in Dream Erosion wouldn¡¯t trouble us common folks, right?"


    "Hard to say."


    "... What do you mean by ¡¯hard to say¡¯? I recall ¡¯Horned Owl Beast Daily¡¯ never reported them slaughtering civilians."


    "But they are pursuing the Reception Bureau people."


    Ethan¡¯s expression immediately became serious, "Lady Rose, I have a plan. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s appropriate to say?"


    "Go ahead."


    "Is there an option where we first resign from the Reception Bureau, return to ordinary resident status, and then re-register Ximu Town¡¯s intelligence station after those homicidal maniacs leave?"


    "Resigning won¡¯t help. Gear City branch received news this morning that a researcher fired from headquarters several years ago was killed at Fireplace Bay. In fact, many retired or career-changed former Reception Bureau investigators have been assassinated."


    Seeing Ethan¡¯s increasingly grave expression, she added a crucial piece of information, "But they were mostly A-level investigators. I suspect there¡¯s something more to these cases, so I asked the branch to send all related files over. With nothing to do before the Kingdom Army arrives, we can pass the time by going through these files."


    Ave¡¯s obvious dark circles were telling enough.


    Ethan could guess with his toes that she must have been too excited to sleep after receiving the files and got up early to investigate.


    As a B-level investigator at Ximu Town¡¯s intelligence station, she technically had no authority to review these files, but such is the power of Margaret.


    "What clues did you find?"


    "Three years ago, there was a severe containment failure at the Reception Bureau. To suppress the riot of the contained items, the former director led a team into the quarantine area and died inside."


    "I¡¯m aware of that incident."


    The former director was the author of the ¡¯Cursed Items Encyclopedia¡¯, and he died at 33.


    "The former Reception Bureau investigators targeted by Dream Erosion were more or less involved in that containment failure."


    Ave stared at the case summaries pinned to the blackboard, lost in thought.


    Compared to a terrorist attack, this seemed more like a calculated settling of scores.


    Settling scores with those A-level investigators who survived the containment failure.

 Chapter 42: Regulars

    Chapter 42: Chapter 42: RegularsIn the following days, Ave was fully absorbed in the case of former investigators at the Reception Bureau being attacked one after another, spending her days locked in her apartment, not leaving at all. Ethan maintained a routine of going back and forth between two places, posting notices with Captain Hagrid during the day and advising hunters at the Guild not to leave the town lightly. At night, he explored Fireplace Bay.


    The layout of Fireplace Bay was pretty much as he imagined, with a few merchant ships docked at the pier all operating as legal shops primarily for facilitating trade between different areas of civilization, and most products related to mysticism were at the lowest level.


    "If you want to buy something a bit more potent, you¡¯ll have to find a way to check out the town,"


    said a young bartender, whose "stage name" was Shepherd. He was as skinny as a monkey, working in Fireplace Bay to help support his family. His father was originally a worker in the Imperial Military Industry and died in an explosion accident a few years ago. The compensation hadn¡¯t been received for a long time, and his mother remarried and left. Now, he had to support three siblings alone.


    So when Ethan gave Shepherd 3 golden lions as a bonus for every deal, they almost instantly became the best of friends.


    With motivation, Shepherd worked more diligently. Not only did he help promote regularly, he also handcrafted small cards with Heisenberg¡¯s name and the Magic Scroll Shop¡¯s information on them.


    As he put it, since his younger siblings couldn¡¯t attend school, they had nothing to do at home, so it was better to let them help make some small cards.


    Although Ethan greatly appreciated Shepherd¡¯s help, he couldn¡¯t help but fall into contemplation when he saw the beautiful and sexy lady on the cards.


    If it weren¡¯t for the "Old Sen Magic Scroll Shop" written on the card, he would have thought he was setting up some dubious business of ill repute.


    Shepherd patted his chest and assured him that these cards were very popular in their city, almost everyone had one. They couldn¡¯t afford to print cards themselves, so they went to the back alley of the Pink Lady Club to pick some up. After picking them up, they erased the original information and wrote down the information of the Magic Scroll Shop instead.


    On the very night he received his bonus, Shepherd took his siblings to the city¡¯s restaurant for a beef steak meal, and his siblings were now full of energy.


    Seeing that Shepherd had spoken to this extent, Ethan didn¡¯t object further.


    And that night, he bought Shepherd a beer and also a piece of smoked meat sandwich, and they talked about the town.


    Perhaps he could find there the teleportation magic materials he needed.


    "How can one gain access to the town?"


    "A Black Gold level savings card issued by the Imperial Reserve represents having at least 5,000 golden lions in savings." sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The answer was expected. 5,000 golden lions were an unimaginable sum for the Empire¡¯s lower-class people, yet for the nobles, it was merely a party ticket. Ethan heard that the town¡¯s nobles might spend this much in a single night.


    Their wealth was so immense that it couldn¡¯t be filled in bags; the Lofic Consortium specifically provided them with channels for card consumption.


    "What else then?"


    "I¡¯ve heard rumors that if you¡¯re a certified Master of Mysticism from various associations, you should be able to get an invitation from the consortium."


    The identity of a High-tier Transcendent allows one to move freely anywhere, but the title of "Master" typically means a third-level or above certified license; for someone like him without such credentials, no one would pay heed.


    Noticing Ethan¡¯s expression, Shepherd regrettably said, "Then there¡¯s only the third route left, an introduction by someone you know. Aren¡¯t you offering high-end customized services? If you meet some distinguished guests, maybe you could get a recommendation letter from them."


    Ethan¡¯s eyes lit up as this was the most plausible route he could take in the short term.


    But, that still wasn¡¯t good enough.


    Ethan never believed in free lunches falling from the sky. Instead of waiting idly by the Black Sea, it was better to take the initiative to seek opportunity, "Give me a few small cards. If I succeed, I¡¯ll give you 5 gold lions as a bonus."


    "5 gold lions!? It¡¯s a deal, don¡¯t back out!"


    Shepherd was quite taken aback by the figure, as among all the customers he had met, Ethan was the most generous to him. He hurriedly pulled out a thick stack of advertising cards from his coat pocket, giving Ethan a third of them.


    His heart was pounding hard. With those 5 gold lions, he could hire someone to fix their leaky roof and buy some thick clothes and quilts, as winter was approaching.


    "Do you think I¡¯m that kind of person? We practically count as partners now."


    "Partners? What¡¯s that?"


    "It means earning money together,"


    Ethan said with a slap on his chest, "If I make a fortune in the future, you¡¯ll certainly benefit."


    Leaving that message, he took the cards and headed directly to the town entrance. Not approaching too closely, he waited beside a small path, which was the only way to enter the town. Those who came out of the town were all of high status across various nations, and he needed to find an opportune moment to meet someone who looked like they needed help.


    And he waited like this for most of the night.


    Seeing a little girl storming out of the town in a white lace dress and high heels, Ethan knew his chance had come.


    This little girl, just over ten, clearly needed some magic assistance.


    While running, she cursed non-stop, "What kind of magic expert can¡¯t even handle such a small matter! A bunch of scoundrels, liars!"


    A butler in a black tailcoat hurriedly followed behind her, a look of embarrassed smile on his face.


    The little girl, exhausted from running, stood stomping her feet in anger.


    Ethan, holding the advertisement card, seized the chance to appear in front of the little girl and with a smile, said the line he had rehearsed for a long time, "Miss, have you encountered any troubles?"


    The old butler immediately stepped between the little girl and Ethan, casting a wary glance toward the guards stationed at the town.


    "I overheard you mention a magic expert. I happen to know a little about elemental shaping magic. I can offer you customized services. Here¡¯s my business card."


    The old butler, quick on the uptake, took the card first and with just a glance made up his mind.


    "Guards, there¡¯s a pimp here!"


    The severe look in the guards¡¯ eyes aimed at those who would abduct minors instantly shattered Ethan¡¯s carefully crafted encounter.


    "Shh! Don¡¯t shout, see clearly before speaking. I run a Magic Scroll Shop, dealing in magic scrolls!"


    "Magic scrolls?"


    The old butler raised an eyebrow with a sneer and turned to the little girl, "Miss, this is exactly the type of scammer I warned you about. They use sweet talk to lower your guard, then trick you into some filthy, nasty places!"


    The guards nodded in agreement. A glance at the sexy lady on the card made everything clear.


    They surrounded Ethan.


    "This is sheer slander! We don¡¯t even know each other. How can you assume my occupation?"


    Ethan loudly defended himself.


    "Slander?"


    With a face full of disdain, the old butler retorted, "A glance at the card reveals everything. How can you still deny it?"


    He didn¡¯t even need to read the long introduction on the back, for he already knew the truth.


    Ethan questioned him, "What exactly do you understand?"


    "Isn¡¯t it obvious?" The old butler¡¯s eyes glinted as he gripped the card tightly and suddenly raised his voice, "I¡¯m a regular at this shop!"


    This bold declaration left the scene in silence, even leaving Ethan wide-eyed in disbelief, momentarily forgetting to respond.


    The guards were the first to react.


    Before the old butler could deliver more of his speech, they pressed his shoulder down.


    ¡ª¡ª"Take this old man too."

 Chapter 43: The Sentimental Age

    Chapter 43: Chapter 43: The Sentimental AgeOn this day, Ethan discovered the fourth way to enter the small town¡ªbeing escorted as a pimp into the town¡¯s guardhouse. The only downside was the limited activity range, as he was almost confined to the narrow interrogation room.


    However, he was not alone; the old butler who had previously questioned him was in the adjacent interrogation room undergoing interrogation.


    Although Fireplace Bay was full of darkness and illicit deals, most of the town¡¯s guards were once members of the Kingdom Army. They still adhered to certain principles, such as prohibiting any unlawful and immoral acts in front of minors. To this, Ethan, the youth filled with positive energy, raised both hands in approval.


    "Look, I¡¯m really an Elemental Shaper."


    Ethan snapped his fingers at the guard responsible for interrogating him, watching as flames ignited in his palm. The guard finally believed him somewhat and proceeded to carefully review the advertisement card again.


    Despite the suggestive imagery, the registered information on it was legitimate.


    The guard rubbed his forehead and said, "Next time, don¡¯t use such easily misleading cards."


    "Brother, business is tough these days. You have to add some flair, don¡¯t you?"


    Upon hearing this, the guard could only nod helplessly.


    They¡¯re all just ordinary folks trying to make a living in this place, so why make things difficult for each other?


    He waved his hand, "Alright, you¡¯re clear."


    "Thanks, bro."


    Ethan saluted him, though the old butler who was escorted in with him wasn¡¯t as lucky. As Ethan left, the old butler was talking about his 12th visit to the Pink Lady this month, while a girl with an obviously distinguished background waited for him at the guardhouse door. Seeing this, Ethan walked straight toward her, "Look, the guards released me. Now do you believe I¡¯m not some weird bad guy?"


    It could be considered a blessing in disguise, as after this ordeal, Ethan was recognized as an officially certified good guy by Fireplace Bay authorities, and he suggested others treat him with more respect.


    However, the girl had her head lowered with her eyes cast down, her golden bangs covering half of her face, seemingly experiencing grief inappropriate for her age.


    "If you¡¯re troubled, feel free to tell me. My prices are fair, honest to all."


    "Sigh, you wouldn¡¯t understand even if I told you."


    The girl finally glanced back at him, saying with premature maturity, "You¡¯ll understand when you reach my age."


    ?


    Ethan stood solemnly, could it be that this girl is an elf or some other long-lived species? Although she appears a little over ten, she might have actually lived for hundreds of years?


    He asked, "Miss, how old are you?"


    "I¡¯ll be eleven this year."


    No wonder.


    Ethan understood¡ªeleven is an age fraught with sentimentality. It reminded him of his own youthful days, when he was often filled with sorrow, spending nights dejected because he couldn¡¯t draw the ¡¯dad¡¯ role in the playhouse games.


    "It¡¯s precisely because I don¡¯t understand that I need you to explain it to me; maybe I can help. Look at this."


    Ethan ignited a flame in his palm in front of the girl, who was indeed attracted by the flickering flame, her eyes lighting up. But soon after, sad memories seemed to wash over her, and she said faintly, "It seems you haven¡¯t been in love; let me kindly explain it to you."


    ?


    I¡¯ve no enmity with you, why resort to hurtful words?


    At the same time, Ethan fell into deep self-doubt, having to reread the advertisement card information. He, noble Heisenberg, the name itself suggested a daring figure walking the perilous path of smuggling dangerous goods; why was it that all the requests he received were related to love?


    Do I really look like someone adept at love?


    The girl said, "The one I like is about to go to the front line, and I want to see him once more. But an evil magician has barged into my home, preventing me from going to see him."


    Ethan had to admit, from the moment the girl began speaking, each sentence she said required him to mull over for a good while to decipher the astonishing amount of information within. When these words were combined, they formed an unexpectedly impactful revelation.


    "How old is your beloved?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Fourteen years old." As soon as she mentioned her beloved, a blush appeared on the girl¡¯s fair cheeks, "He¡¯s already a capable Kingdom Knight."


    During her narrative, Ethan began automatically piecing together the truth.


    This customer is likely the young lady of some great noble family, who has fallen for a pauper struggling in the Kingdom Army. Upon discovery, she was charged with multiple offenses like early romance and dereliction, leading to her family hiring a magician to keep an eye on her, preventing her from going to the military camp to find her beloved.


    "So you came to Fireplace Bay to find a way to defeat the evil magician?"


    "All the magicians here claim to be experts and masters, yet as soon as they hear the name of that evil magician, they hide away like cowards¡ªa bunch of scammers!"


    "What name is so intimidating?"


    "The servants in the mansion all call him ¡¯Silver Fox¡¯ sir."


    "Hmm, that is indeed quite tricky."


    Although Ethan had never heard of the ¡¯Silver Fox¡¯ title, if it was bestowed by the Empire or Astrology Association, it meant he made some notable contributions or had very high prestige among Magic Masters. It¡¯s understandable that the Fireplace Bay experts avoid provoking a well-known Great Mage.


    The girl immediately gave a disdainful look, "See, you¡¯re also intimidated by his title."


    "I¡¯m just saying this request is a bit tricky, so it can¡¯t be priced as originally planned."


    "Miss, he¡¯s a fraud, don¡¯t waste time on him."


    Coming out of the interrogation room just in time to witness this scene, the old butler adjusted his slightly messy tailcoat and spoke.


    Though the pimp accusation against this kid was unfair, hearing him raise the price upon hearing the ¡¯Silver Fox¡¯ name showed he was a con artist planning to take the money and run.


    Creating a flame in one¡¯s palm is nothing special; it¡¯s a trick any novice Elemental Shaper can do.


    "I can make nine magical scrolls for you, and you can pay me after it¡¯s done if you don¡¯t trust me. Moreover, the payment for this request isn¡¯t money."


    The butler was indeed intimidated by Ethan¡¯s words, signaling "let¡¯s discuss outside" with his eyes, and Ethan understood immediately, stepping outside the barrack¡¯s door first.


    Before the old butler could speak, Ethan preemptively asked, "Before that, answer me a question: if I haven¡¯t misunderstood, the ¡¯evil magician¡¯ was hired by her parents to discipline her, did bringing her here defy their wishes?"


    This matter reeked of suspicion; he couldn¡¯t fathom what kind of butler would dare oppose the head of the household.


    If the girl truly escaped the magician¡¯s grasp, revenge would certainly fall on the butler, as an eleven-year-old sheltered young lady could hardly initiate teleportation magic, arriving at a place like Fireplace Bay.


    "That¡¯s because the master didn¡¯t tell the young miss the truth."


    The old butler¡¯s face was a blend of complex emotions, and after a long sigh, he said, "They received a mission with no return; that child is destined not to come back."

 Chapter 44: Masterpiece

    Chapter 44: Chapter 44: MasterpieceThe butler¡¯s words successfully added elements of love and death to this family ethics drama.


    However, the old man himself is a collection of contradictions.


    On one hand, he felt sympathy for the young lady¡¯s plight; on the other hand, he understood the consequences of defying the patriarch¡¯s orders more than anyone else.


    "So, you came up with a compromise."


    Ethan crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, "You know the Magic Masters at Fireplace Bay won¡¯t accept such whimsical commissions, thus bringing her here is a way to comfort one¡¯s conscience for trying."


    This is human nature, he doesn¡¯t intend to blame the other party, but this deal seems doomed not to be finalized. Although he very much needs the town¡¯s invitation letter, Old Sen¡¯s magic scroll is just in the starting phase, it¡¯s time to establish a reputation. Once he completes this commission, the butler¡¯s fate might not be too pleasant.


    "I understand." He nodded, "Then, I should start looking for the next client."


    "Wait!"


    The butler shouted coldly to stop Ethan, he stared intently at Ethan¡¯s face hidden under the masquerade mask, as if trying to see through him completely, "You looked very confident just now, can you do it? Just by relying on a few magic scrolls? Although I don¡¯t know who you learned Elemental Shaper magic from, you are facing the Astrology Association¡¯s Great Mage!"


    Ethan pierced his thoughts.


    He watched the young lady grow up, cared for her like a granddaughter, naturally unable to resist her pleading. However, he also knew there was no one who could help her now; in the Imperial City, there were no such people, nor in Fireplace Bay.


    Until just now, when Ethan boasted in front of them.


    Will only accept payment after the deed is done?


    This is a promise only a person with extreme confidence would make, but he still doesn¡¯t know where the opponent¡¯s confidence comes from.


    He kept a stern face, deliberately making his tone sound more fierce, "You should know the consequences of deceiving a noble, if you disappoint the young lady, even if I have to risk my old life, I will find you."


    "You should understand what it means if this matter is accomplished, right?"


    Ethan was a bit surprised, he needed to remind him of the consequences.


    "I have my own way, if you are worried about payment afterward, even if I cannot come in person, I will entrust someone to give it to you... Speak up, how much do you want?"


    "I want an invitation letter to enter the town."


    The butler¡¯s gaze was meaningful, this answer explained many things.


    This Elemental Shaper who appeared out of nowhere is obviously not a noble, nor a graduate of the ¡¯Academy¡¯. Otherwise, if he performed well during his time at school, many families would have thrown olive branches at him.


    He still couldn¡¯t figure out where Ethan learned his skills, even when he heard the name of the Astrology Association¡¯s Great Mage, he didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment.


    "Can you accomplish what I want?"


    Ethan¡¯s inquiry brought the butler back to reality, after some thought, he said, "This is not a difficult matter."


    "If so, then let¡¯s begin the drawing."


    "Now? Right here?"


    The butler was shocked once more, in his imagination, even if the opponent could produce magic scrolls that could rival the Great Mage, it would require long-term drawing and manufacturing. He intended to emphasize that they only had one day, and this elite team would set off for the Empire¡¯s border tomorrow evening.


    "This place won¡¯t do, I need to go to the energy papyrus shop to purchase basic materials first."


    Ethan made a quick calculation, "You probably need 12 magic scrolls, 9 to deal with the ¡¯evil magician¡¯ in a battle of wits and courage, and the remaining 3 would just be the perfect farewell gift."


    The butler mentioned that this was a one-way expedition, maybe these three additional Fireball Skill scrolls could bring some variation to the fate of the client¡¯s beloved.


    "I¡¯d like to visit your workshop?"


    "Of course."


    ...


    Heisenberg is a powerful Elemental Shaper.


    All the way, the butler kept hypnotizing himself, having made up his mind when this commission was finalized.


    But...


    Heisenberg entered an ordinary energy papyrus store, bought 12 pieces of the cheapest energy papyrus right in front of him.


    However, this shouldn¡¯t be a problem, the stronger the transcendent, the more they return to simplicity in their control of magic power.


    He once visited the Imperial City¡¯s most famous magic scroll factory, where the continent¡¯s best painters congregated, the real masters were always low-key.


    Again the butler found a reason for this suspicious behavior of the person.


    However, when Ethan finished buying scrolls, he went directly off the ship, found a spot on the beach and sat down. The butler could hardly hold it, "We... are we drawing right here?"


    Those real masters have their own drawing workshops, filled with various precise drawing tools.


    The workshop has precise measuring instruments used to observe the flow trajectory of magic power, guiding them to form patterns on the energy papyrus, the real master level drawing is an extremely delicate craft, requiring unparalleled control over magic power, any tiny mistake would lower the quality of the magic scroll.


    Yet Ethan just sat down on the beach like a painter sketching in front of the sea.


    This kind of magic scroll painter would definitely be kicked out of the factory during apprenticeship.


    Maybe...


    Heisenberg mastered an unknown drawing technique, after all his magic is related to elements, facing the sea might allow him closer communication with nature.


    The butler racked his brain to find excuses for Ethan, but it wasn¡¯t easy.


    Especially since making 12 scrolls together only took about ten minutes.


    No painter in this world would treat their works so carelessly!


    The string named reason in the butler¡¯s mind roared, from the moment this person bought low-grade energy papyrus, nothing about him acted like a professional.


    But...


    But! Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This person claims to be Heisenberg, at least his name sounds professional.


    The butler really couldn¡¯t find a reason to excuse anymore, could only ramble in his mind, while under his gaze, Ethan began to personally guide the young lady on how to use these 12 scrolls.


    "Very simple, if the ¡¯evil magician¡¯ comes after, activate three Frost Arrow scrolls at the same time, and these three are Fire... Elemental Shaper scrolls, when you meet your beloved, give him these three scrolls and tell him that when he encounters danger in the future, to use all three at once."


    The young lady listened very carefully, her eyes finally restored their luster.


    Indeed very simple, even the young lady who never encountered elemental magic could clearly understand.


    Just somewhat overly simple, the butler had never heard of anyone introducing magic scrolls like this.


    First of all, each magic scroll corresponds to the name of a spell, the higher the magic, the harder it is to draw, and the price also increases accordingly.


    Buyers need to know the name of the spell, then activate the magic scroll according to the situational need.


    This is the correct tutorial on magic scroll usage!


    The butler restrained himself until Ethan finished the introduction, then asked, "Did you forget to introduce the corresponding spells of these magic scrolls just now?"


    To wrestle with the Astrology Association¡¯s Great Mage, at least fourth-level high-level spells are needed for even a glimmer of hope.


    "Technically, these are Frost Arrow and Fireball Skill."


    "...What?"


    "These 9 are Frost Arrow, and these 3 are Fireball Skill."

 Chapter 45: Clean and New

    Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Clean and NewHorn thought he must be crazy.


    He took Miss Anna to Fireplace Bay, even ready to bear the wrath of the Patriarch, only to end up buying 12 basic elemental magic scrolls.


    Ice Arrow Scrolls, 3 Fireball Skill Scrolls.


    But besides that, there was no one else who could help them.


    By the time they returned to the manor, dawn was almost breaking. He tiptoed to open the door, peeked around to ensure no one was around, and then whispered for Miss Anna to quickly return to her room.


    This was their only chance, as the Master was summoned by the Pope and would be in the Holy City for a few days.


    He stood at the door watching Miss Anna¡¯s figure running upstairs, only relaxing when she disappeared at the staircase corner.


    But then came a man¡¯s mocking voice, "So? Did you have fun at Fireplace Bay? Did you find anyone willing to help you stand against my Magic Masters?"


    Looking at the figure slowly emerging from the shadows, Horn¡¯s heart jumped to his throat.


    The man smoothed his mustache, smiling without warmth at all, "One of those Magic Masters you found happened to be my former student. He told me all about Miss Anna¡¯s wishes, ¡¯Evil Mage¡¯? That¡¯s a first for me."


    "Miss Anna is still young and somewhat immature."


    "But Mr. Horn, you¡¯re no child. Can I assume you¡¯re planning to openly defy the Patriarch¡¯s orders?"


    "I have no objections to the Master¡¯s orders."


    Horn took a deep breath, staring back unflinchingly, "But that child has been loyal to the family since young. His father died for the family. Prohibiting even a last meeting before this doomed expedition is just too much..."


    "Miss Anna is destined to marry Master Aisoke; this bond was decided from her birth."


    At these words, anger flashed in Horn¡¯s eyes but was quickly suppressed.


    Aisoke¡¯s notorious reputation is well-known throughout the Imperial Capital. He frequents places of debauchery and has abused three dancers to death. Even after the scandal subsided, he did not restrain himself and caused another death a month ago. Horn vividly recalled Aisoke¡¯s last visit, the predatory look in his eyes when he looked at Anna, as if she was merely a beautiful toy.


    Who would willingly marry their daughter to such a beast?


    Yet, Anna¡¯s father is such a man.


    Because Aisoke¡¯s father is the founder of the Imperial Military Industry, this marriage could bring him endless political resources.


    In truth, they care not about Anna¡¯s future; they simply wish for her to become a compliant commodity for exchanging resources.


    "Master Aisoke desires his fianc¨¦e to be pure, not just in body but in reputation too."


    The man with the mustache spoke coldly, "If rumors spread about Miss Anna meeting a nobody in secret, what would Master Aisoke and his family think?"


    Horn remained silent.


    The man before him was the Great Mage of the Astrology Association, granted the title of ¡¯Silver Fox¡¯ by the Empire, symbolizing his crucial role in the association. But in truth, he was sent by the Imperial Military Industry to "educate" Anna.


    Aisoke is infatuated with magic; he hopes his fianc¨¦e can become a magician. And the Master allowed this man to manage Anna¡¯s life in the manor.


    "It seems you have nothing left to say. When the Patriarch returns, I¡¯ll report everything you¡¯ve done."


    A malicious smile appeared on Silver Fox¡¯s face, "As for Miss Anna, I¡¯ll train her into a good wife."


    The sound of breaking glass interrupted their conversation.


    The noise came from upstairs, precisely where Anna¡¯s bedroom was.


    The sound was extraordinarily clear in the silent night and changed Silver Fox¡¯s expression, for he felt a strong wave of magic power.


    But... how was this possible?


    His student reported that all the experts at Fireplace Bay dared not accept the commission after hearing his name, which was the expected result. Therefore, he didn¡¯t even bother to personally escort them back to the manor upon hearing the news.


    In Silver Fox¡¯s view, sometimes the despair brought by neglect is more profound.


    Even if they secretly escaped to Fireplace Bay, they couldn¡¯t find anyone to help, teaching Anna a lesson and making her more obedient in future education.


    After all, Aisoke likes an obedient good girl.


    After a muffled thud, Silver Fox¡¯s silhouette turned into a wisp of black smoke, ghost-like, breaking into Anna¡¯s chamber.


    The room was empty, only broken windows left, with cold wind pouring in from outside.


    Horn arrived late, and as he rushed into the room, he was almost immediately stunned by the scene at the window.


    Heisenberg said that what was drawn into the magic scroll was the most basic Ice Arrow, yet the ice sculpture at the window bore no relation to the Ice Arrow. He didn¡¯t know what to call this magic¡ªthe power in the scroll had condensed into a spiral slide several tens of meters long. By the time Anna reached the window, she had slid some distance away, clutching her white lace dress and shouting excitedly.


    It was as if this was a slide leading to a fairy tale world.


    Horn noticed Silver Fox¡¯s face turning blue and white, clearly intimidated by this exquisite ice elemental magic.


    But quickly, Silver Fox revealed his "Evil Mage" nature, a gleam of savagery flashing in his eyes. His body turned into black smoke again, darting straight towards Anna with even faster speed.


    He couldn¡¯t immediately discern the nature of this magic, but this wasn¡¯t a fairy tale world.


    In the real world, a lady from a deep-secluded residence eloping and escaping could never succeed.


    Silver Fox caught up with Anna.


    The distressed young lady saw him and grew somewhat panicked. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Miss Anna, you are becoming more and more mischievous."


    Silver Fox looked down at Anna, scrutinizing her; after such improper behavior, she should be fearful.


    In truth, Anna had always been scared of him because he mastered many magic tricks that caused pain without leaving scars on the body.


    Aisoke had mentioned he disliked defective products, insisting his fianc¨¦e must be clean as new before being sent to him.


    He continued, "Have you forgotten the feel of the Heart-devouring Curse?"


    As expected, Anna¡¯s face went pale, and she took several steps back in fear, watching him with wary eyes.


    Silver Fox was very satisfied with Anna¡¯s reaction. He believed pain to be the best teacher, especially for children like Anna at her age. He continued to guide her, "If you don¡¯t want to experience that feeling again, hand over the scrolls you have."


    But this sentence seemed to remind Anna of something.


    Her gaze wandered between the scroll and Silver Fox, and suddenly, she made up her mind. Biting her lip, she tore open three magic scrolls under Silver Fox¡¯s astonished gaze.

 Chapter 46: Snow White and the Black Mage

    Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Snow White and the Black MageThe cold arrow streaked across the Silver Fox¡¯s cheek. Even though he cast the Soul Transfer Spell at the first moment, the ice element¡¯s trail still left a wound on his face.


    Blood flowed from the wound, immediately throwing Anna into a panic. She blurted out, "Are you okay?"


    The Silver Fox ignored Anna¡¯s concern.


    More unsettling than the sting on his cheek was Anna¡¯s resolute gaze and her decisive action of tearing the magic scroll. Both indicated a single message¡ªshe wanted to rebel.


    Just like those Neseriel Holy Hall Knights who spoke endlessly about defiance and virtue.


    But Aisoke preferred compliant women.


    "Miss, you¡¯ve really been led astray by that young lad, haven¡¯t you?" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Silver Fox wiped the wound on his cheek with his index finger knuckle and glanced at the layer of frost forming over the blood. Anna¡¯s action made him change his mind.


    He knew how to deal with people who intended to rebel; in the Imperial Military Industry, it was almost routine work.


    Crushing people¡¯s hopes, pushing them into the abyss of despair, turning them into obedient zombies. He had seen many such people in the factories, their eyes devoid of any light, living on basic sustenance to sustain life, working mechanically until the day they broke down.


    But this was likely what Aisoke wanted to see as well.


    Rather than a fianc¨¦e, he preferred a docile, hard-to-break toy.


    "Still fantasizing that he returned from the front lines with glory, becoming a famed knight of the Holy Hall, and proposing to your family?"


    Only naive children could entertain such unrealistic fantasies. The Silver Fox once promised Horn to handle this matter with discretion, but now, he would personally push Anna into the abyss of despair, "Didn¡¯t your Grandpa Horn tell you, he¡¯s not coming back?"


    "... Not coming back? What do you mean?"


    "He¡¯s as good as dead."


    The Silver Fox¡¯s face broke into a cruel smile, "At the Empire¡¯s border, he¡¯ll meet a Magic Master who enjoys dissecting humans. I heard the last victim was cut into hundreds of pieces by her magic. Should I bring back images of the body fragments? But even if I did, could you recognize them?"


    Ultimately, the expedition was always a suicidal mission, meant to eliminate knights overly loyal to Henry VI by using Dream Eclipse as the Pope believed the king¡¯s close ties with the Neseriel Sanctuary had become the Empire¡¯s biggest obstacle to progress.


    "Miss, let me tell you another thing. That young lad¡¯s name wasn¡¯t originally on the expedition list. It was your unrealistic fantasy that pushed him into a pit of fire. Your father recommended him to the Kingdom Army, and he eagerly jumped in. Achieving fame, which sounds so wonderful."


    The Silver Fox admired Anna¡¯s dazed eyes with satisfaction and said, "You personally killed him. You¡¯ve been like this since you were young, haven¡¯t you? Everyone you cared for ended up dead because of you¡ªthe young lad, your former maid, even your mother. Of course, Horn couldn¡¯t escape either... In the end, they all left you."


    "Grandpa Horn!"


    Anna turned back aimlessly, looking towards the mansion still shrouded in darkness.


    "The guillotine, the gallows, or burned at the stake. He can choose one; after all, he¡¯s served your family so devotedly for years. Your father should mercifully fulfill his last wish."


    The Silver Fox walked toward Anna, keeping an eye on the ice arrow scroll in her hand.


    Once this is over, he¡¯ll personally go to Fireplace Bay. He¡¯s curious to know which Elemental Shaper dared to meddle in the capital¡¯s affairs.


    This was certainly not a common elemental shaping spell.


    "What, hesitating? Wondering if you obediently return to the mansion now, maybe Horn won¡¯t be punished?"


    He lowered his voice, like a devilish whisper, "It¡¯s already too late. Remember this lesson: from today, every mistake you make will have consequences. Horn will die, that young lad will die, and you¡¯re destined never to see them again¡ªI¡¯m curious how many more people you¡¯ll cause to die before becoming a docile, sensible wife?"


    Silver Fox was already standing bewildered in front of Anna. From this distance, as long as he raised his right hand, he could press down on Anna¡¯s shoulder. In his eyes, this fine-boned little girl was merely a canary whose fate was sealed from the moment she was born.


    All he had to do now was put this canary attempting to escape back into its cage.


    But in the next moment, the Silver Fox¡¯s pupils shrank.


    He saw that his hand reaching for Anna was pierced by several ice spikes. It happened in a split second, before he even felt the pain, and the wound and blood were frozen.


    However,


    Anna had been holding the magic scroll all along, never tearing another one!


    The Silver Fox could not care about any of that soon enough. An unprecedented sense of danger attacked from behind him. He had almost instantly cast the Soul Transfer Spell, turning his body into black smoke. As his perspective shifted, he saw the thorn-covered ice vines and the frightening scene behind him.


    At some point, the district behind him had been engulfed by ice. The growing ice extended into a forest, with thorn-covered vines continuing to expand, putting a singular thought into his mind.


    The ice elements scattered all over the city had come to life. They were endowed with life force by some magic power, possessing thoughts almost akin to humans!


    In the limited knowledge of the Silver Fox, he had never encountered any magic similar to this.


    In fact, it went beyond the concept of magic, making him feel as if he were contending with nature itself.


    The Silver Fox suddenly remembered the ice arrow that had missed earlier. He had dodged the arrow easily and paid no mind to its disappearing trajectory, yet the ice arrow that should have disappeared had instead birthed a forest behind him, swallowing the entire district.


    Even worse, he had been targeted by the ice elements.


    The thorn-filled vines relentlessly pursued him.


    The unknown fear spread in Silver Fox¡¯s heart. How much longer could the Soul Transfer Spell last? How many more times could he cast the Soul Transfer Spell with his magic power?


    Could he escape from the range of the vine¡¯s attack?


    In just a few seconds, all the questions were answered.


    In the instant he reappeared from the black smoke and before he could hurriedly cast the next Soul Transfer Spell, the thorny vines wrapped around his ankle, their spikes piercing his skin. In an instant, his magic power was frozen like his wounds and blood.


    Next was the arms, the torso, almost in the blink of an eye, the vines wound around his body, binding him firmly in place.


    The Silver Fox watched as Anna walked step by step towards him.


    He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but the ice elements raging inside him deprived him of his ability to speak.


    Anna¡¯s eyes were no longer filled with fear and confusion.


    The Silver Fox knew that Aisoke would definitely dislike Anna¡¯s current gaze, nor would he like her current actions.


    The last three ice arrow scrolls were torn open, her gaze unwavering, "I want to see them!"

 Chapter 47: The End of the Fairy Tale

    Chapter 47: Chapter 47: The End of the Fairy TaleAs three Frost Arrow Scrolls were torn apart, Silver Fox witnessed Anna¡¯s final magic.


    His astonishment did not cease there; he perceived tremors from the ground. Some colossal entity was breaking through the earth. The first thing he saw was the head of a bird, its sharp beak almost touching his face. Even more bizarre was that he detected a human-like expression on this bird¡¯s ice-elemental face.


    It was a contemptuous gaze.


    Humans, no, the entire block seemed immeasurably small before this giant beast.


    Silver Fox was restrained by vines, and all he could do was tilt his head back and witness everything unfolding before him.


    Anna used three magic spells, yet he couldn¡¯t name any of them. It didn¡¯t even seem like human magic. He faced the giant beast as if witnessing the vast disparity between man and nature.


    Anna climbed onto the beast¡¯s back, and it raised its head with an earsplitting screech.


    The lamps across half the city illuminated with that screech, and Silver Fox felt the pervasive fear throughout the city, even those high-ranking nobles were not exceptions, nor was he.


    For the scene before him awakened the deepest fears within every Imperial Capital person, forcing them to remember the city that was once ice-bound and an unmentionable being.


    And also, that history named "The Fallen War" by the Holy Hall.


    Silver Fox witnessed the beast spread its wings and carry Anna away from the ground, heading towards the military camp at the edge of the Imperial Capital.


    The Knights of the Kingdom Army were also awakened by the beast¡¯s screeching. Torches and gas lamps dispelled the darkness. Despite their fear, the Firearms Battalion aimed their guns at the sky as the beast rapidly approached.


    "Wait, cease fire, there¡¯s someone on the bird!" S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A slender figure ascended the city wall using a grappling hook. Donning light armor and with a slim sword and musket slung across her waist, her orange-red hair was expertly tied into a single ponytail, providing the marksmen on the wall with their anchor.


    The woman drew her gun and sword, standing ready before the array, her eyes full of excitement.


    The beast did not attack the wall or the military camp. It landed steadily in the open space between the camps, lowering its body so Anna could slide down its wings like a slide.


    "Miss!?"


    The young man at the front of the lineup, already clutching a longsword, stared incredulously at the scene before him. Everything happening felt like a dream to him. The descending bird carrying his beloved to his side was a sight only found in fairytales, leaving him stunned and at a loss.


    "Lance!"


    Anna shouted his name, running toward him.


    Lance instinctively enveloped the figure who dove into his arms, the reality and slight chill telling him that this moment was indeed happening.


    The Expeditionary Army stood in formation on the open ground before the camp. On any other day, they¡¯d be whistling and joking about the relationship between this new knight and the noble lady, but not now, because everyone knew the nature of this expedition.


    In fact, many were surprised at this boy who joined the expedition halfway through.


    Their embrace lasted perhaps ten seconds, or even longer, until Lance¡¯s face flushed red, stammering, "Miss, many people are watching."


    Anna was unwilling to let go, looking up at him, "Can¡¯t you not go?"


    "Miss, please don¡¯t speak nonsense."


    "If you do, all of you will..."


    Anna¡¯s mind was filled with Silver Fox¡¯s malicious curses. Every person she saw now would soon become cold corpse fragments cut by a villain¡¯s magic.


    Lance¡¯s forefinger pressed against Anna¡¯s lips, blocking the words she wanted to say.


    These morale-shaking words, if taken seriously, could implicate Anna and her entire family.


    "Over the years, thanks to the care of Miss and Steward Horn, now with turmoil at the Empire¡¯s borders, it¡¯s my turn to protect your Kingdom."


    "But, but!"


    "Miss Anna, a knight cannot break an oath, you know."


    The fiery figure from atop the city wall appeared behind Lance at some point, her arms crossed, watching the farewell before her with interest.


    She noticed the tears at Anna¡¯s eye corners, and her expression softened considerably.


    So, the Way of the Knight is truly the most troublesome faith in this world. Once one goes against their heart or abandons virtue, the Divine Spirit will strip them of their power. Thus, even when knowing this would be a one-way expedition, knights still charge forward without hesitation. This is the legacy of the Neseriel Sanctuary.


    Their armor bears the weight of this nation and its people.


    "So, let¡¯s make a promise. Entrust him to me, and I¡¯ll ensure he returns alive. As for the conditions..."


    The red-haired woman rested her chin on her hand, looking enviously at the beast in the military camp, her eyes almost sparkling, "Let me ride it around the Imperial Capital, no, even just five minutes will do!"


    The beast seemed to understand human language. It lowered its gaze at this small yet vibrant figure, receiving her gaze full of longing.


    The next moment!


    That massive body shattered, transforming into scattered ice blossoms that vanished into the air in the blink of an eye, not even leaving a droplet of water behind. Before that, it gave the red-haired woman a proud look.


    ¡ªIn your dreams!


    This was the message conveyed through its gaze.


    The power of that gaze was overwhelming, freezing the woman¡¯s hearty smile on her face. Her life seemed to pause at that moment: mouth agape, eyes losing focus, all dreams and joys of this world no longer belonging to her. She herself seemed to turn gray, becoming rigid under the watchful eyes of all, until she cracked apart.


    A knight lost her dream.


    This eerie scene lasted for a long time. Anna, at a loss, could only bury her head in Lance¡¯s chest, avoiding the miserable sight of the woman.


    The strange atmosphere persisted until the woman finished her self-shattering and restructuring, forcing a smile uglier than crying, saying, "Even so, our promise remains valid."


    She heard footsteps approaching from afar, clearly, the commotion caused by the beast had disturbed everyone.


    She also saw, outside the camp, a dignified old man in a red robe rushing toward the camp surrounded by a crowd.


    Any fairy tale has its end, and after that comes the cold reality.


    As the person who incited this series of disturbances, no one knew how Anna would be treated next.


    "If there¡¯s anything left unsaid, you must hurry."


    The red pupils glanced at the two, masking all her expressions, brushing past them and returning to the Valkyrie image people saw her as every day.


    She walked toward the grand procession outside the camp.


    "In the name of ¡¯The Other Shore,¡¯ I swear for you."

 Chapter 48: Council of 7

    Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Council of 7Thanks to Tuo Anna, before the expedition began, Bi¡¯an had to attend an emergency meeting convened by the current Pope.


    On the white glass of the domed cathedral was a long sword representing justice and order, and beneath the dome sat a square table with six people dressed in various attires. Bi¡¯an, as the current Kingdom Army Commander appointed by His Majesty Henry, attended the meeting as a council member.


    The Sevenfold Council is an honored tradition left by the first King, intended to allow him to hear voices from various fields, enabling decisions more beneficial to the Empire¡¯s future.


    The seven representatives come from the most influential seven areas concerning the Empire.


    The Church, the Nobility, the Commerce Guild, the Academy, the Astrology Association, the Judicial Court, and the military side represented by Bi¡¯an.


    Though the news so far indicates no deaths, only that a Great Mage from the Astrology Association was severely injured, the magic that appeared in the imperial capital was enough to alert everyone, reminding them of an "old friend".


    Years ago, that "old friend" was also a member of the Sevenfold Council, representing the Academy at a meeting convened by Henry VI.


    But that was before the Fall War, after which the King was gravely injured and declined in health, relinquishing the meeting-convening power to the current Pope.


    No one spoke in the meeting room, the six were all waiting for the arrival of the last council representative¡ªthe current Academy headmaster. After the Fall War, this centenary had to reassume the power of the Sevenfold Council.


    Before long, an elder in a white robe, looking travel-worn, walked in. His eyes were cloudy and he appeared much older than at the last meeting.


    "Mr. ¡¯Hermit¡¯, we hope you bring us some good news."


    The Pope¡¯s authoritative tone marked the beginning of the meeting.


    "I¡¯m afraid I will disappoint you." The white-haired elder said calmly after taking his seat, "Your concerns are not unfounded, the three elemental-evocation spells that appeared in the capital are very similar to... the spells of the person you all know, with only minor differences in detail."


    The Pope stared deeply at the elder, "Are you suggesting that the Witch is still alive?"


    The faces of several councilors varied; this was undoubtedly a dangerous question.


    Admitting that the Lindong Witch is still alive would be equivalent to announcing that the public execution two years ago was a farce orchestrated by the Pope himself.


    Since the Fall War, many have suggested the possibility that the Lindong Witch is still alive, but those people have either been exiled to the Empire¡¯s borders or were found to be followers of the Evil God, attempting to spread rumors to incite public panic. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for whether they were truly influenced by the Evil God...


    The power to judge matters of faith has always been in the hands of the Church.


    "She may not be alive, but those who produced these magic scrolls were definitely deeply influenced by her, which explains why these scrolls could trigger such a massive ice elemental riot."


    "Mr. ¡¯Hermit¡¯, please elaborate."


    It was the Astrology Association¡¯s representative who spoke. If one were to look at her face, they would only find an elderly lady with a kind smile, seemingly unconcerned about the severely injured Great Mage.


    Creating magic scrolls is not exclusive to Elemental Shapers. In fact, in recent years, magicians represented by the Astrology Association have become the Empire¡¯s main producers of magic scrolls, while elemental magic has gradually been phased out.


    The Saint¡¯s magic is unique. As a Great Mage, she is eager to know more details.


    "That person... you know who, proposed a theory during his teaching tenure at the Academy, which talked about the relationship between Elemental Shapers and natural elements."


    Hearing this, the Lofic Consortium¡¯s commerce representative even took out a notebook and quill, clearly showing that the Astrology Association was not the only force interested in these secrets.


    Although a trace of displeasure flitted through the Pope¡¯s eyes, he did not interrupt the elder, allowing him to continue.


    "This theory proposed an unprecedented concept that ¡¯the resonance between Elemental Shapers and natural elements comes primarily from emotions.¡¯ She believed that the existing elemental shaping theory was essentially a shackle. Although it allowed apprentices to quickly master a certain spell, in the long view, it cut off their potential to resonate with natural elements."


    "Resonance!"


    The current president of the Astrology Association struggled to contain her excitement, but the frequency of her fingers tapping on the conference table increased steadily. She felt she should thank whoever made these magical scrolls, or she would have difficulty learning about the Academy¡¯s secrets.


    She further asked, "The essence of a spell is a command, and the method of command would disrupt the caster¡¯s relationship with natural elements... very intriguing perspective. So, her meaning is to make the casters friends with natural elements?"


    "Building resonance with natural elements, becoming friends is just the initial stage of this theory, which was intended for a final purpose, or rather, its ideal concept."


    The Lofic Consortium¡¯s representative joined the discussion eagerly, "What concept?"


    "The caster, in other words, is the element itself."


    In an instant, the room was silent.


    Everyone held their breath, processing the magnitude of this information.


    They all knew what these calm statements represented¡ªthese were the secrets of the Saint¡¯s magic!


    They could hardly believe that the elder had so easily shared these theoretical treasures with them; the Lofic Consortium representative and the nobility shared the same idea to put this theory into practice once the meeting was over.


    However, Bi¡¯an noticed the key point, asking, "Since that¡¯s the case, why hasn¡¯t the Academy compiled this theory into teaching materials?"


    In these two years, she had encountered many excellent Elemental Shapers who were still using the "old-fashioned" practices.


    "Because no one could learn this theory, or rather, the theory could not succeed in a short time."


    The extensive educational reform ultimately ended in failure, "The Academy gave her one semester to promote her theory. After a semester, her students voluntarily abandoned it."


    The progress was exceedingly slow, even to the point of no progress at all.


    Moreover, they watched peers studying elemental spells distinguish themselves in various Academy events, creating a stark contrast that led both students and teachers to the same question.


    Is the Saint necessarily a good teacher?


    Perhaps she was just so gifted that she developed a theory that no one but herself could master.


    Worse still, even the Academy¡¯s experienced professors could not prove the feasibility of this theory, for they were deeply entrenched in their ways of interacting with elements.


    Even the professors who still believed in the theory concluded one result.


    The Elemental Shaper that can master this theory could only be someone outside the Academy.


    And now, that person had emerged.


    "This is the secret hidden within those magic scrolls. He was not recording a specific spell in the scrolls but sending a letter to the Elemental Elves. Miss Anna tore open the envelope, allowing the Elemental Elves to see the content of the letter."


    At this point, the elder paused for a moment, revealing the final conclusion of the investigation, "The battle against Mr. Silver Fox was against nature itself."


    (Please follow up! The third round of testing is more than halfway through. It is expected to be released in about two weeks. The plan for explosive updates upon rollout is as follows: if this book¡¯s first publication reaches the level of a fine piece (over 3000 subscriptions), there will be a consistent five-Chapter (over 10k words) update throughout the month of release!)

 Chapter 49: Decision-Making

    Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Decision-MakingAs the ¡¯Hermit¡¯s explanation ended, it was time for the Bian¡¯s second favorite seven-person council debate session.


    In this session, you can see those high-ranking dignitaries disputing so fiercely over an issue that they even resort to personal attacks.


    "The guild has reaped so much profit in the Empire over the years, and now you become cowardly when it¡¯s your turn to take responsibility? Truly a group of genuine parasites."


    The first to engage in personal attacks was the ¡¯Regent King¡¯, a representative of the imperial nobility. Most of these titles have been around since the time of the first generation of kings, and as the initial batch of seven council members experienced life and death, their successors inherited their titles.


    Bian lazily propped her cheek with her palm, listening with interest to this intense debate.


    As for her, the title was one she chose for herself, derived from a flower she saw during an Eastern Continent expedition when she was a Tier Two Knight of the Holy Hall. The flower was beautiful and left a deep impression on her.


    When His Majesty Henry knighted her, she insisted on keeping her own title.


    The faction led by the ¡¯Pope¡¯ believed that the Elemental Shaper was an uncontrollable factor for the Empire, and the unforgivable thing was his countless connections with the Lindong Witch. Therefore, they must find a way to discover his true identity and bring him to the Judicial Court to be baptized by the Empire¡¯s laws. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before that, the Lofic Consortium should fully cooperate with their actions.


    This was, of course, met with the merciless refusal of the Lofic Consortium representative, as protecting the privacy of every guest is a promise to everyone from the guild. For businessmen, reputation is inviolable.


    "That would be difficult to achieve."


    The ¡¯Scholar¡¯ of the Astrology Association maintained her harmless smile, explaining warmly, "I participated in the construction of Fireplace Bay. Magic transportation can only record the coordinates of two locations at once, even the Great Mage of the Astrology Association could not transport Heisenberg from Fireplace Bay to the imperial capital."


    "Then arrest him, torture him for his identity, and if necessary, mobilize the Golden Fleet to ensure the threat is nipped in the bud!"


    The ¡¯Iron Hand¡¯, chairman of the Judicial Court, was as aggressive as ever, ready to deploy the Empire¡¯s invincible Golden Fleet into battle.


    But in reality, the Judicial Court did not have the authority to mobilize the Golden Fleet. This war weapon, which the Empire is proud of, has always been controlled by the royal family. It fits well with the tone of the great nobles, always issuing orders frivolously, then letting countless people clean up after them.


    Bian silently ridiculed in her heart.


    The ¡¯Hermit¡¯ Dean, who had been silent, calmly said, "We are currently unable to make an accurate judgment on Heisenberg. Acting rashly will only backfire. The Empire can no longer withstand another fallen war."


    This strike hit the nail on the head, putting the meeting into a stalemate.


    They all knew that although the Empire was the victor of the Fallen War, it also paid a heavy price in that war. Since then, the King has been bedridden, and the Empire has been in decline. Worse still, the victory propaganda has not deterred the rampage of the Evil God¡¯s followers. Instead, subsequently, the evil fanatics sprouted everywhere like mushrooms after the rain.


    The ¡¯Hermit¡¯ fixed his muddled eyes on the Pope, "What the Empire should least do now is to spread the news of Heisenberg¡¯s existence. Regardless of what connection he has with... that person, no matter what stance he himself holds, he will replace that person and become the Savior in the eyes of the Evil God Fanatics."


    So, the voting came unsurprisingly to 3:3, and all the attention shifted to Bian, who had never participated in the discussion.


    The vote in her hand was crucial, directly impacting the future of the Empire.


    "I think ¡¯Mr. Hermit¡¯ makes a good point. I vote for the opposing side."


    Her response was crisp and neat, leaving no room for the Pope¡¯s faction to rally votes.


    As expected, she received the Pope¡¯s cold gaze¡ªit was the third time in a row she had stood against the church.


    However, Bian had to clarify that she had no personal vendetta against the Pope; it was simply that the series of radical policies the church had implemented in recent years did not align with her beliefs.


    Ever since the King fell ill, she felt the Pope had become increasingly obsessed with power.


    But the church faction¡¯s certain judgment about the Lofic Consortium was accurate: a group of parasites born for profit always tries every way to amass wealth, indifferent to the Empire¡¯s future.


    Therefore, many times, it became extremely difficult to cast this vote in her hand.


    Nonetheless, as the voting formed a 3:4 situation, any words were pale and powerless. This is the seven-person council system; everyone must ultimately abide by the voting result.


    "Then, according to the voting result, Mr. Horn will make the contact with Heisenberg."


    The representative of the Lofic Consortium gave the Judicial Court¡¯s ¡¯Iron Hand¡¯ member a deep look, "Probe his stance through peaceful and prudent means. I believe he can be won over by the Empire. I do not wish to see anyone incite war at Fireplace Bay."


    Over the years, it was not an exaggeration to describe the Judicial Court¡¯s notoriety. It had clearly become a tool for the Pope to eliminate dissent.


    ¡¯Iron Hand¡¯ merely snorted coldly and shifted his gaze elsewhere.


    This long and tedious debate finally came to an end, and no matter how many times Bian participated, she could never adapt to the meeting¡¯s atmosphere.


    Although every council member hoisted the banner of the Empire¡¯s future, the meeting¡¯s agenda always revolved around gaining more benefits for their camp. In reality, she felt that since the concept of a ¡¯camp¡¯ appeared, this Kingdom was already starting to split.


    And now, there awaited a grand expedition for her.


    The Empire¡¯s intelligence agents had detected the trail of the Dream Erosion. Not long ago, they murdered a former A-level investigator of the Reception Bureau and an executive from the Imperial Reserve at Fireplace Bay.


    This might be the first time the Kingdom Army truly faced off against these Evil God Fanatics.


    Seeing Bian get up to leave, the Pope suddenly approached her.


    "Wish you all a triumphant victory."


    He stared hard at Bian, smiling insincerely.


    The political stance of the Kingdom Army once again... brought disappointment, but fortunately, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the seven-person council welcomed a new, wiser decision maker.


    Bian did not respond, merely nodding politely at the Pope, then headed out of the chapel without looking back.


    More than watching the Pope¡¯s expression, she relished the thought of that giant ice bird, making her itch with excitement.


    No knight could refuse such a dashing mount.


    It was a meeting about Heisenberg, but unlike these politicians, if she ever met Heisenberg, she had only one request.


    To ride that Big Ice Bird and fly a lap in the sky.


    Please, she would do anything!


    .........


    Meanwhile, far away in Ximu Town, Mr. Heisenberg stealthily approached the guest room, pushing open the slightly ajar door.


    The light spilling from the door slit caught his attention.


    This was Miss Keroy¡¯s room.


    When he saw the scene inside the side chamber, a bolt of lightning struck his brain¡ªMiss Keroy was lying by the bed, having lit a gas lamp from nowhere, and in front of her on the floor was an open vellum book, surrounded by a dazzling array of herbs.


    What on earth had happened in the last few days?


    Since when did Miss Keroy learn to read books?

 Chapter 50: Miss Keroy Wants to Learn Alchemy

    Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Miss Keroy Wants to Learn Alchemy"Ave, what do you think?"


    With dark circles under her eyes, Ave huddled sneakily with Ethan at Miss Keroy¡¯s bedroom door, peeking at the little hen engrossed in reading with her back to them, immediately feeling a strange sense of guilt like a thief.


    Moreover, why did she become like an assistant after spending some time with Ethan? sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wasn¡¯t this question supposed to be asked by her to Ethan?


    Nevertheless, Ave still honestly said, "This might be the effect of the werewolf collar. When the curse of the collar is activated, you and Miss Keroy establish a certain connection, and she will subtly develop similar interests as you."


    Ethan¡¯s hobby is reading books.


    This was something all residents of Ximu Town knew. In his first year in this town, people found he was immersed in the town¡¯s library almost every daylight hour. He went through all the mysticism books available in the town, and over time, people began to call him a "mysticism expert."


    "Miss Keroy is reading an alchemy book. She even sneaked out of the apartment in the middle of the night to pick Snake Emperor Grass from the mountain!"


    The books came with the apartment bookcase, just basic introductory texts on alchemy, and there¡¯s an identical one in the town¡¯s public library.


    Alchemy is one of the few paths toward the extraordinary in this world that does not require faith in any divine spirit. Meanwhile, the by-product of alchemy, magic potion, is one of the hottest commodities in mysticism shops, often fetching sky-high prices at auctions when made by high-tier alchemists.


    So, why is it that such a promising extraordinary profession has so few practitioners?


    When Ethan posed the question with his copy of "Introduction to Alchemy Notebooks" to the guild president of Ximu Town two years ago, the well-versed mid-aged man gave him a wake-up call, "What kind of family do you have to just want to learn alchemy?"


    The president then held out four fingers to Ethan.


    In the vast town of Ximu, only four families had the means to support alchemical studies. Among them, Ave, being an Enlightenment Society graduate, was excluded. The other three families had no offspring with any alchemical aptitude, leading to a situation where the wealthy couldn¡¯t study, and the poor... were busy working hard for money, completely unaware of whether they had the talent to become an alchemist.


    Ethan¡¯s dream of becoming an alchemist was shattered by harsh reality.


    But what goes around comes around!


    He looked at Miss Keroy, engrossed in reading the notebook, suddenly experiencing a surreal d¨¦j¨¤ vu ¡ª once, he had to abandon his dream of becoming an alchemist due to poverty. Now, he found a way to earn money, having more than 50 gold lions in his pocket within a week, and the kids at home no longer have to bow down to reality because of poverty...


    "The Chronicles of Ximu Town¡¯s Struggle," a grand serial!


    It turns out, this is the heaviest aspect of the code name "Chicken Raiser"!


    Ethan unconsciously fell into the role of a father again.


    Ave and the golden fur atop her head looked at him sideways, "What odd idea are you dwelling on again?"


    She and the golden fur reached a consensus ¡ª Ethan had a peculiar mind, always capable of bursting out with astonishing wisdom inadvertently. Just from the expression on his face, as if he had experienced the vicissitudes of life, it was evident that this guy was about to say, "I have a plan."


    "Ave, do you think there¡¯s a possibility Miss Keroy can become an alchemist?"


    Even though she had prepared herself, Ave was still shocked by Ethan¡¯s astonishing question. She didn¡¯t even want to respond directly, instead, she retorted, "Do you even listen to what you¡¯re saying?"


    Allow a wolf chicken to become an alchemist?


    Not to mention in a frontier city like Ximu Town, even in the imperial capital, those noble children who learn from high-tier alchemists from a young age don¡¯t necessarily achieve much. In the journey toward the extraordinary, not having a clear belief system is not a good thing, as it may lead humans to become lost in the process of exploration.


    Looking across the Empire, only those possessing both intelligence and talent could potentially embark on this path.


    And Ethan¡¯s current plan was to make a little hen into an alchemist.


    If high-tier alchemists heard this, they would probably kick Ethan out of the Alchemy Association.


    However, Ethan seemed completely unaware of how absurd his question was and began talking to himself, "Come to think of it, Miss Keroy is also at the age to choose a career, and she¡¯s finally interested in something."


    "You...!"


    Though thousands of thoughts ran through her mind, Ave couldn¡¯t string together a complete sentence. At this moment, she finally confirmed one thing.


    There was definitely something wrong with Ethan¡¯s thought process.


    Something seriously wrong.


    "Maybe Miss Keroy didn¡¯t understand the content of the book at all."


    In the end, Ave took a more circuitous approach, hinting, "The ¡¯Introduction to Alchemy Notebooks¡¯ includes many herbs and creatures needed for making magic potions, she might just like the illustrations in it."


    She felt this was the normal thought process.


    Could a little hen comprehend alchemy?


    Based on her observation of Miss Keroy, although the collar enabled her to understand part of the human language and gained intelligence beyond little animals, still far from comparing to humans.


    "Don¡¯t jump to conclusions, haven¡¯t you heard the saying? Interest is the best teacher for children."


    Ethan pushed open the door and walked in first, "Let¡¯s test it out then."


    The two walked one after the other to Miss Keroy¡¯s back. The little hen, hearing the noise behind her, got up from the floor and, seeing it was Ethan and Ave, suddenly raised her neck and smiled at them joyfully.


    Although such a description was somewhat strange for a little hen, Ave felt that Miss Keroy¡¯s eyes were shining with curiosity and longing for the world, just like a little child.


    Then, Miss Keroy, in a slightly clumsy manner, used her beak to turn the notebook to a particular page, then clutched the entire book in her mouth and brought it to them.


    The page was about a cauldron for concocting magic potions, the very foundation in alchemy.


    Keroy needed this very much.


    She could actually read the little hen¡¯s eyes.


    Ave stared at the illustration of the cauldron for a long time, before speaking as if compelled by some supernatural force, "The Reception Bureau¡¯s research department really needs talents in alchemical areas, the costs of learning alchemy should be reimbursable by the branch."


    ...


    Ave could hardly recall how she walked out of Ethan¡¯s apartment. As she descended the steps back to the street, feeling the cold wind on her face, the golden fur on her head drooped with defeat.


    By the God of Truth,


    she must have been affected by Ethan¡¯s bizarre thought process!


    The level of contamination made her suspect that Ethan himself was some kind of humanoid cursed item they had never seen before.


    And now, she, as the head of Ximu Town¡¯s intelligence base, was about to write an application to the Gear City branch.


    Yes, she was going to persuade the branch¡¯s finance department with a letter to reimburse the cost of alchemical studies for a little hen.

 Chapter 51: Divination Master

    Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Divination MasterThe reply from Gear City branch was swift as usual. On the night she sent the letter, Ave received a response from Gear City, brought to her by a red falcon perched on the windowsill, delivering both good and bad news.


    The good news was that her application for reimbursement on alchemy purchases was approved.


    The bad news was that the branch director was concerned about her mental state and sent a mental state evaluation.


    The branch director also subtly expressed in the letter that if she couldn¡¯t manage, he would help recommend her to the Imperial Capital Bureau.


    Holding the evaluation, Ave¡¯s golden hair stood on end, expressing a silent rage.


    Firstly, making the hen an alchemist was Ethan¡¯s idea!


    The one who truly needed a mental evaluation was Ethan!


    Ave really wanted to throw the reimbursement application and mental evaluation at Ethan¡¯s face and lock him in a small room to thoroughly test what¡¯s going on with his mental state. But, while angry, she ultimately dismissed the notion because she¡¯s genuinely worried Ethan might not pass a mental state test.


    That would be big trouble.


    Front-line investigators are constantly dealing with cursed items. Even with the help of blockers, their minds are inevitably affected. An insane investigator poses a great threat to themselves and their companions, making mental assessments a very serious matter.


    If the evaluation fails, the investigator must be forcibly recalled to the nearest branch for isolation treatment until the Reception Bureau deems them fully recovered.


    However, according to reports from recent years, the treatment results are not ideal. Only seventy percent of investigators fully recover after treatment. Twenty percent succumb to symptom addiction to blockers to suppress mental anomalies, forcing them into retirement, which is already considered a decent outcome.


    The remaining ten percent of treated investigators either develop strong self-destructive tendencies or become extremely dangerous, attacking the treatment staff.


    Before night fell entirely, Ave went next door furiously, ordering Ethan to go to town to buy crucibles. After issuing the command, she locked herself in her study and spread the mental state evaluation flat on the table.


    Then, she did the tasks!


    She regretted it.


    At the time, she really should have reimbursed Ethan out of her own pocket, thus not leaving Gear City branch people with the impression of "unstable mental state."


    With Gear City branch funds in hand, Ethan had to emphasize that the Reception Bureau is indeed an excellent workplace, and there¡¯s Ave, an impeccable leader. He was ready to pay for Miss Keroy¡¯s alchemy studies himself, yet unexpectedly, the leader generously reimbursed this expense.


    Crucibles used in alchemy are not particularly extraordinary items, easily found at the town market, while sources for low-grade magic potions... Ethan had no idea where Miss Keroy obtained them from. The small animals he encountered seemed to come equipped with a "picking up" trait.


    The fortune-bringing one could rummage up entry-level textbooks for Elemental Shapers, while Miss Keroy was skilled at finding various herbs.


    Walking alone through the streets, Ethan was quickly drawn by the commotion from the market. Seeing from afar, candles and lights gathered people around. It¡¯s the first time Ximu Town has been this lively since news of a witch spread. And now, as night approaches, the gathered crowd at the market showed no intention of leaving.


    Captain Hagrid wouldn¡¯t welcome such a situation in the town.


    Although it¡¯s unlikely Miss Becky would make a comeback, there¡¯s now a more terrifying enemy than Miss Becky.


    Reliable information indicates that the eccentric killer of the Dream Eclipse has most likely reached the border.


    If Captain Hagrid let¡¯s it go¡ª


    Well, Captain Hagrid already knows.


    Upon nearing, Ethan saw Hagrid at the end of the crowd, rising on his toes and stretching his neck just as Miss Keroy did. Observing for a while, Ethan judged that Hagrid didn¡¯t plan to disperse the crowd but was queueing.


    Even Ethan could see Hagrid¡¯s eagerness.


    Hagrid was wearing a guard¡¯s armor, with a long sword slung diagonally at his waist, obviously changing his plans midway during work.


    "What are you all doing here?"


    Ethan squeezed in, the dense crowd blocking his view, so he mimicked by rising on his toes, his sight passing over heads and barely seeing someone setting a table under the steps, a woman with smooth black hair, her half face covered by thin veil.


    She wears a red-white long robe, which could be described as bizarre attire, her slender waist wrapped with a fancy satin belt, a white-based smile mask dangling at its end, resembling a jester in theater.


    Neither her hair color nor attire resembles any Empire citizen.


    A glowing crystal ball sat on the table, facing her was a man eagerly anticipating his fate to be revealed, whom Ethan recognized as the town¡¯s lumberjack.


    Almost immediately, Ethan felt a warning. He reminded Hagrid, "Don¡¯t you find it extremely suspicious for a foreigner to appear suddenly in town at this critical moment?"


    "I investigated this at the first opportunity."


    Hagrid waved his hand, "She is a magician certified by the Astrology Association, holding an officially issued medal."


    "But at such sensitive times, holding a large-scale gathering in the town is still improper, isn¡¯t it?"


    "That¡¯s true, but I can understand them. Who could miss such an opportunity?"


    Hagrid took a deep breath. He too had a matter that needed clarity through divination, "Ethan, buddy, you see, I¡¯m not getting any younger. So you get it, right?"


    "Honestly, not really."


    "A man my age should settle down. This matter has been weighing on me for too long. Today, I must get an answer!"


    With Hagrid¡¯s emotions too intense, Ethan stepped back several serendipitous paces, "Hold on; speak if you want, but why put your hand on my shoulder?"


    "Because you¡¯re my close friend, Ethan, buddy!"


    "Alright, alright, I get it."


    Ethan extended his hand in refusal, blocking between him and Hagrid. With the crowd and Hagrid¡¯s excitement causing incoherent speech, if this caused any major misinterpretation, he¡¯d be facing nightmares for a month.


    Ethan redirected his focus back to the woman with black hair. She had already obtained revelations from the crystal ball, and the lumberjack sat formally before her, his expression transitioning from unease to comfort. Although Ethan couldn¡¯t clearly overhear their conversation through the crowd, he could infer it was a positive outcome.


    The lumberjack attempted to pay the black-haired woman a bag of remuneration but was politely declined. He could only clasp his hands in prayer to express his gratitude.


    Once the lumberjack departed, the black-haired woman placed her hand on the crystal ball, where light and shadow entangled. Suddenly, she announced the characteristics of the next "lucky one."


    The gray-haired youth at the end of the crowd.


    In an instant, envious and jealous gazes converged upon Ethan.


    Huh?


    Ethan hadn¡¯t expected this and was merely here seeing Captain Hagrid and chatting for a bit. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I just arrived; this feels improper."


    Ethan waved to the woman with black hair, speaking loudly, "Beside me is Captain Hagrid. He has something that desperately needs knowing..."


    "Twenty years."


    The woman¡¯s voice was soft yet clearly heard by everyone, "He will have no romantic prospects for twenty years."


    Suddenly, the crowd fell silent.


    A simple sentence caused all eyes to instinctively shift to Captain Hagrid.


    Ethan did as well.


    He saw Hagrid with his mouth agape, as though struck by fate, all beauty and hope leaving him at that moment. Next, his whole being seemed to have lost its color, weathering and wilting in the winter cold.


    Ethan stood stiffly in place.


    Sorry, sorry.


    It was unintentional.

 Chapter 52: As the Cat Says

    Chapter 52: Chapter 52: As the Cat SaysDivination Skill is a branch of magic, as the ward of the God of Trickery, the Divine Spirit granted the Divination Masters the ability to glimpse into the future. Today, the president of the Astrology Association who inherits the name ¡¯Erudite Scholar¡¯ is a powerful Tier Four Divination Master. There are many fascinating anecdotes about Madame Erudite among the people.


    Since the establishment of the Empire, every Erudite Scholar has been a confidant of the King. Their prophecies often help the Empire foresee upcoming dangers and prepare in advance.


    Ethan sat in front of the Divination Master, feeling a prickling chill at his back.


    At this moment, Captain Hagrid was still flustered in the wind. All his enthusiasm for the future was shattered by the cold number "twenty years."


    Hagrid was already 35 years old, which meant he would continue his bachelor life until he was 55.


    Worse still, in this era, the average lifespan of ordinary people was around 60 years.


    So knowing the future is not necessarily a good thing.


    Ethan swore that he just saw Hagrid being so eager, it was out of goodwill, definitely not on purpose!


    The Divination Master remained calm as if she hadn¡¯t realized she just took away a middle-aged man¡¯s hope, she placed her hands on the crystal ball, squinted, and asked, "Which part of the future do you want to know?"


    Spectators craned their necks; every lucky person selected to receive such a question often gave answers related to wealth, family, marriage, health, but not everyone could receive a positive reply.


    They speculated on Ethan¡¯s thoughts, believing that although Ethan held the title of "Mysticism Expert" in the town, a young man of his age would likely want to explore the secrets of love.


    However, the next moment, Ethan gave an answer that surprised everyone, "Adventure."


    Adventure?


    What kind of question is that?


    The crowd buzzed with discussion, some even started resenting him for wasting the opportunity.


    "I want to know what interesting events will happen in the future."


    The Divination Master did not respond to Ethan but slightly raised the corners of her mouth. The light and shadow in the crystal ball shifted endlessly. Ethan watched the changing spectacle intently for a good while, ultimately unable to figure it out, but once again, he caught a glimpse of the trajectory of magic power, somewhat akin to when activating teleportation magic nodes.


    Her magic trajectory was pale green.


    The whole process lasted about a minute; both the pale green trail and the light and shadow in the crystal ball were withdrawn. The Divination Master looked at Ethan with pitch-black pupils and said, "You will have an unexpected reunion with an old friend."


    That¡¯s it?


    The onlooking residents couldn¡¯t wrap their heads around it. In their eyes, Ethan and the Divination Master seemed like two riddlers, speaking things they completely couldn¡¯t understand. They couldn¡¯t figure out why reuniting with an old friend could count as an adventure.


    Perhaps this is what being a Mysticism Expert is like.


    The good news was that Ethan didn¡¯t use too much time. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having received his answer, Ethan stood up to express his thanks, but he was puzzled. He had been in Ximu Town for two years without leaving, and although he maintained good relations with the townsfolk, none were particularly close friends, mostly just acquaintances who would nod at each other in passing.


    However, his thoughts were quickly interrupted by an unexpected situation.


    As Ethan walked out of the crowd, a figure as strong as a small mountain appeared behind him, clamping his shoulder with arms like steel.


    Captain Hagrid came to his senses and launched an attack on him!


    "Brother Ethan, by now you should know what to do, right?"


    Hagrid¡¯s eyes seemed filled with tears; he had always been an emotional person and a warm-hearted Guard Captain in the town. If anyone had difficulties, they would go to Hagrid for help, and as long as he could help, he¡¯d be the first to jump in.


    Despite failing the Kingdom Army Knight Camp test, Hagrid still regarded himself as a knight.


    Hagrid shouted, "Don¡¯t think of escaping; today you must drink happily with me! Just think, how long has it been since you last went out drinking with me?"


    "You can¡¯t blame me, the Reception Bureau has rules!"


    Ethan blurted out, though he had been spending almost every night in Fireplace Bay lately, he naturally had no time for drinking binges with Hagrid, "Besides, I came out today for business reasons!"


    "Business?"


    "I¡¯m here to buy a cauldron."


    "Doesn¡¯t matter; after you buy the cauldron, I¡¯ll carry it to the tavern for you! What kind of rules say we can¡¯t enjoy a drink after work?"


    Ethan couldn¡¯t refuse anymore; facing this elder brother who had always looked after him, he found it hard not to sympathize¡ªespecially knowing now that Hagrid might be destined to be alone in the future.


    Ethan responded to the call, "Let¡¯s go, drink!"


    That night, deeply affected, Hagrid drank particularly boisterously. Shortly after the drinking party began, he was already somewhat drunk and, unsurprisingly, like in the past, raised his glass high and started recounting stories Ethan had heard dozens of times, though the tavern, originally not very crowded, became much livelier thanks to Hagrid¡¯s racket.


    With bleary eyes and slurred speech, Hagrid exclaimed, "Brother Ethan, tell me, I¡¯m not that bad of a person, am I?"


    "Mm."


    "The position of the Baron¡¯s Guard Captain isn¡¯t too shabby, is it?"


    "Mm."


    "Then why am I so unfortunate?"


    Facing a setback in his romantic life, Hagrid pulled at Ethan¡¯s sleeve, finally recounting a story Ethan hadn¡¯t heard before, "Remember last time we drank, you encouraged me to confess to the head maid of the Baron¡¯s house? I went!"


    "Then what happened?"


    "Then, then!" Unbearable past experiences nearly brought Hagrid to tears, "She said she has always seen me as a brother!"


    This might be the root of the problem.


    Hagrid had good relations in the town, but the girls seemed to all treat him as a reliable big brother.


    But, Ethan, aside from being a listener, could do nothing else.


    After all, not even the most outstanding Elemental Shaper could solve personal emotional issues, not even the famous Heisenberg.


    Hagrid was merely venting while drunk; he wasn¡¯t expecting any answers. He continued drinking until he passed out several rounds, and until late into the night, Hagrid suddenly had a brief moment of clarity, climbing up from the table, shouting with eyes closed, "It¡¯s time; you don¡¯t have the strength, come, big brother here will help you carry the cauldron back!"


    Thus unfolded an utterly bizarre scene.


    Hagrid, carrying the cauldron, staggered forward with eyes tightly shut, like a zombie infected by a cursed object walking aimlessly.


    Walking beside him, Ethan looked like an evil Necromancer.


    As the apartment¡¯s outline appeared in the depths of the night, Hagrid, this "puppet," finally succumbed, collapsing to the ground with the cauldron and sleeping there on the spot.


    Ethan rubbed his temples.


    He could only let Hagrid stay at his place for the night, fortunate that he had moved into a larger house with spare space in the living room.


    He planned to return to the apartment to call Miss Keroy out to help when a rustling sound from nearby immediately caught his attention.


    A mystical premonition quickly spread.


    Driven by the premonition, Ethan walked toward the wall overcast by shadows, a corner even the moonlight could not reach.


    Deep in the shadows, it seemed something was slowly approaching him, gradually coming into sight.


    A stuffed animal cat with white plush fur, possessing a pair of distinctive red eyes.


    The stuffed cat¡¯s thin body shivered in the cold wind, its back half timidly hiding in the shadows.


    It looked up at Ethan.


    "Meow~"


    The cat said.

 Chapter 53: The Cat Gathers Momentum

    Chapter 53: Chapter 53: The Cat Gathers Momentum"Hungry?"


    Without much of a greeting, Ethan asked as he used to.


    The ragdoll cat nodded at him.


    "Come on, we¡¯ve got leftover pork belly and bread at home, oh, and some sour cream too."


    "Meow~"


    The ragdoll cat squinted its eyes, showing a pleased expression, and just like before, dashed towards Ethan, leaped high, and agilely jumped onto his shoulder using the arm Ethan had stretched towards her. She found a comfortable position, with her furry tail gently wrapped around Ethan¡¯s neck like a scarf.


    After arriving home, Miss Keroy also sprang into action. She jogged down the street, first dragging the cauldron into her bedroom and then pushing the drunken Hagrid onto the sofa. No one knew what kind of dream Hagrid was having, but he kept shouting "Wife, wife!" Miss Keroy bit a pillow into Hagrid¡¯s arms, finally quieting him down.


    Afterwards, it was the first meeting between Miss Keroy and Miss Zhao Cai.


    Miss Keroy raised her chin, curiously gazing at the ragdoll cat on Ethan¡¯s shoulder who refused to come down. The ragdoll cat glared back fiercely, tightening the tail wrapped around Ethan¡¯s neck as if declaring its territory.


    Ethan, facing away from the cat and the chicken, was oblivious to this. He was leisurely humming a tune, singing, "Today is a good day for stewing meat~", while adding the spices into the pot in order.


    Old Sen¡¯s stew, his specialty dish.


    This was, in his memory, Miss Zhao Cai¡¯s favorite dish. He couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the Divination Master¡¯s accurate prophecy; it was indeed an unexpected reunion of old friends.


    "Cluck?"


    Miss Keroy tilted her head in confusion, feeling that the new guest from the apartment seemed somewhat unfriendly. Suddenly she thought of something, and hopped to a corner of the kitchen, buried her head into a bag, and moments later, carried a hard bread, tip-toeing to offer it to the ragdoll cat. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Miss Keroy also squinted her eyes, puffed her cheeks, and smiled kindly.


    The ragdoll cat finally responded to her, jumping off Ethan¡¯s shoulder and gracefully landing on the cabinet¡ªa position still taller than Miss Keroy. Miss Keroy pushed the hard bread towards the ragdoll cat, quickly opened the cabinet door, and brought out the sour cream placing it beside the bread.


    "Cluck, cluck, cluck!"


    The ragdoll cat¡¯s gaze softened, somewhat contemplative.


    This little hen seemed silly and didn¡¯t appear to be any kind of threat.


    She gladly accepted the offering from the little hen, holding the hard bread with sour cream, and began to munch on it deliciously.


    The taste was familiar.


    Before, when Ethan buried himself in reading under the gas lamp at night, she would sit on the table munching hard bread.


    Then she gained five pounds in a week.


    The ragdoll cat, having learned her lesson, stopped after a few bites, pushing the bread aside. While waiting for the stew, she began to study the strange creature in front of her, which seemed to have mutated from a chicken, and appeared to have a gentle personality, like a carefree optimist.


    The ragdoll cat extended her paw, gently patting Miss Keroy¡¯s head, and the little hen immediately cheerfully rubbed against her.


    It turned out to be a pet chicken.


    The last bit of worry was laid to rest.


    After a short while, Ethan prepared the stew. He placed the pot on the floor, brought himself a small stool, gave Miss Zhao Cai a bowl, and Miss Keroy a basin, cutting the stew and distributing it.


    He raised his bowl first, "Here, this is to celebrate Miss Zhao Cai¡¯s return to town!"


    "Meow~"


    "Cluck!"


    "It¡¯s been so many years, you¡¯re still the same."


    Ethan said smugly, "But now I¡¯ve changed significantly, I live in a big house."


    Sure enough, the ragdoll cat gave him a disdainful look again.


    This was a ragdoll cat that understood human language, but in this supernatural world, it wasn¡¯t anything strange. Ethan had seen higher-level creatures in the guild¡¯s bestiary that could transform into human forms, and felt that the ragdoll cat probably had some magical bloodline.


    Miss Zhao Cai was very clean, no matter when you saw her, her fur never got dusty, nor did she emit any unpleasant smell.


    Since Ethan was the only one capable of speaking, he took it upon himself to narrate the events that occurred after Miss Zhao Cai had left.


    He talked about the truth behind the "Three Knights" story. It was from the era of Baron Gledin¡¯s grandfather, where they poisoned the water source and killed the witch that wrought havoc in the town; years later, the witch returned with a vengeance and attacked Riverside Town. Then there was Luoxang¡¯s case, where Mr. Clown had forever left the town.


    Time passed by second by second, unknowingly, the stew was consumed entirely, Miss Keroy being the main force. Her appetite always was a mystery, no matter how much food Ethan prepared, Miss Keroy would always finish it off, with the most remarkable feat being the night they encountered a giant boar in the forest.


    Miss Keroy ate throughout the entire night and managed to swallow the giant boar, several times her size, without wasting a bit.


    After an indefinite time, the ragdoll cat yawned.


    "If you have nowhere to go, you can stay here temporarily, come with me."


    Ethan led the way, with a cat and a chicken, to the side room, "This is Miss Keroy¡¯s room, there¡¯s a big bed inside. From now on, you are roommates."


    "Meow!"


    The ragdoll cat¡¯s face was full of rejection, she shook her head vigorously, and then walked to the main room and stopped.


    "Here? This is my room."


    The ragdoll cat merely looked up at Ethan, straightened up, scratching the door with her paws,


    "You want to live here?"


    The ragdoll cat nodded eagerly.


    "There¡¯s no way around it."


    Ethan thought if there were aristocrats among felines, Miss Zhao Cai must be a princess. Earlier in the guild, she wasn¡¯t keen on staying in the cat bed he built; as soon as it got dark, she¡¯d occupy the big bed ahead of him, initially, her territorial instinct was strong, not allowing him onto the bed.


    Later, there was a time Miss Zhao Cai got sick, looking listless all day. He researched many books on pharmaceuticals and nursing, taking care of her for a long time, after which she gradually stopped resisting.


    Ethan understood Miss Zhao Cai¡¯s pride as a cat race maiden, so he drew a line on the bed, requested two quilts from the Guild, she slept inside while he slept outside.


    However, those were times when conditions were poor.


    As he had said, he now was vastly changed!


    "Alright, since you insist on living in this room, the master bedroom is yours. In the worst case, I¡¯ll move to the side room and share a bed with Miss Keroy for a while. Hang on, let me just pack up my quilt and pillow, hey, what¡¯s with that look?"


    The cat didn¡¯t speak, glaring at him angrily.


    Ethan was surprised to learn that a ragdoll cat¡¯s eyes could actually glare so intensely.


    The cat¡¯s eyes were filled with disbelief, and even... had a trace of fierceness.


    "Are you stupid!"


    The cat seemed to want to convey this message through its gaze.


    Then,


    The cat arched its body.


    The cat prepared to pounce.


    The cat sprang from the ground, like a bullet, crashing into him.

 Chapter 54: Cats, Fruit Scents, and Pranks

    Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Cats, Fruit Scents, and PranksAfter more than a year apart, Ethan felt like Lucky was a bit clingy.


    He did as before, grabbing two blankets and drawing a line in the middle of the bed. The apartment bed was much larger and softer than the temporary accommodation provided by the Guild, allowing Lucky to romp around freely on it. However, the ragdoll cat was not satisfied with just that. As the gas lamp was extinguished, Lucky raised her paw to scratch his back.


    Ethan turned over and saw Lucky holding out her two paws, her reddish cat eyes sparkling in the moonlight.


    Needing a cuddle to sleep.


    The cat requested from him.


    Ethan felt a bit helpless, was Lucky really a "lonely heart"?


    Regardless, he obliged.


    The cat¡¯s body was so soft, her white furry coat felt a bit cool against his skin until she finally closed her eyes in peace, her eyelids fluttering.


    Ethan smelled a strange fruit fragrance. Trying to identify what fruit it was, he brought his nose closer, but Lucky squinted open her eyes, suddenly bumped her head against him.


    As Ethan wished, he smelled the scent from the cat¡¯s head, so his lips naturally landed on Lucky¡¯s forehead.


    The cat¡¯s mischievous act succeeded, leaving Ethan with a mouthful of fur.


    Lucky laughed happily, her body shaking while being held.


    In the end, Ethan couldn¡¯t tell what kind of fruit smell it was.


    Nevertheless, he had a rare, sound sleep.


    Early the next morning, Ethan¡¯s family of three was awakened by noises coming from the living room, followed by a man¡¯s groan, "My back, ouch¡ª!"


    Miss Keroy was the first to rush out of the room, immediately spotting Hagrid who had fallen off the couch, clutching his sore back in pain.


    For the burly Hagrid, the space on the couch was indeed a bit small.


    "Wait a bit, let me catch my breath first. The armor poked my back, oh dear!" S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Ethan stepped out, Hagrid¡¯s brows were furrowing in pain, personally demonstrating the drawbacks of sleeping in armor. Kind-hearted Miss Keroy hurried to the kitchen, holding a hard loaf of bread to comfort Hagrid.


    But as they say, misfortune never comes alone; just as Hagrid was nursing a hangover-induced headache and a worn-out back, Ave delivered another piece of bad news.


    The Expeditionary Army¡¯s vanguard would arrive in Ximu Town this afternoon. Baron Gledin wanted his Guard Captain and former hopeful Kingdom Army member Hagrid to accompany them throughout. However, given Hagrid¡¯s current state, attending might bring disgrace to the town. Walking whilst clutching his back, wobbly steps, would likely give the Empire¡¯s envoys a horrible impression that the town¡¯s Guard Corps were useless drunkards.


    "Ethan buddy¡ª!"


    Hagrid shed tears, placing all his hopes on Ethan.


    Ethan looked towards Ave.


    In theory, they were supposed to go anyway; the Empire¡¯s Elite Knight Order came for members of Nightmare¡¯s Dusk, their role as Reception Bureau investigators was to help them settle into local work.


    As for the specifics, they¡¯d have to follow their leader¡¯s directive.


    However, today¡¯s leader was behaving oddly.


    Since announcing the vanguard¡¯s arrival upon entering, she¡¯d been gazing, enchanted by the ragdoll cat sitting on Ethan¡¯s shoulder, scanning Lucky with her golden hair on top like a radar.


    Ave approached Lucky bit by bit, trying to be as gentle and stealthy as possible. Then she slowly raised her hand, reaching towards Lucky¡¯s head while softly mimicking a cat¡¯s meow, "Meow meow, meow meow."


    "Slap!"


    Just as she was about to touch Lucky, the cat swiftly swatted Ave¡¯s hand with her paw, signalling a "Don¡¯t touch me" warning with a disdainful look.


    "Um, Lucky isn¡¯t too fond of others touching her."


    He defended Lucky.


    Yet Ave wasn¡¯t bothered; observing the red mark on her hand, she seemed eager for more. The golden hair on top, startled, initially wanted to touch Lucky amidst the chaos but decided against it seeing the circumstance.


    It turned out Ave liked cats, a fact Ethan unintentionally discovered about his leader¡¯s interest.


    "Where did you find this cat?"


    "I met her in town before, her name¡¯s Lucky, and her specialty is scavenging."


    Lucky proudly wrapped her tail around Ethan¡¯s neck, once again making Ave display a face full of envy. Ethan, meanwhile, had to steer the topic back on track, asking, "Is the reception for the vanguard this afternoon arranged? Are we preparing a banquet?"


    Noble wine table etiquette was something Ethan wasn¡¯t familiar with, never having brushed shoulders with the nobility in two lifetimes. Only recently did he manage to get a "public employee" status.


    "I¡¯ll go with you. They need someone to explain Ximu Town, Ethan, this is your task."


    Ave finally, with difficulty, shifted her gaze away from the cat, starting work arrangements seriously.


    Ethan¡¯s political eloquence had left a profound impression on her, leading her to decide all speech-related tasks be handed to Ethan from now on. "You don¡¯t need to attend the banquet. This time the Expeditionary Army¡¯s Commander is an old acquaintance of mine; I have some personal matters to discuss with her."


    "Understood."


    Ethan expressed promptly, knowing well it concerned the Empire¡¯s dark side banquet, one he had no business attending, being a minor figure. Conveniently, he also needed to visit Fireplace Bay tonight; he was confident in his homemade Ice Arrow scroll. If all went well, he¡¯d soon receive an invitation to enter the town.


    On the other hand, he truly hoped the old steward, often seen at nightclubs, remained safe and sound.


    To prevent circumstances spiraling out of control, he specifically wrote "keep them alive" on the scroll, monitoring Ice Arrow proficiency the past few days. At least from the proficiency panel, no one had perished by the Ice Arrow.


    "Also, pass on a message to the vanguard for me."


    Hagrid quietly waited for the two to finish speaking before meekly raising his hand, adding, "Tell them I¡¯m currently recovering at home, once I¡¯m better, I¡¯ll personally take them outside the town for a walk."


    "You go back and recover your back without worry."


    Ethan waved his hand, "Aren¡¯t you relieved having me? I guarantee your absence won¡¯t make them look down on you."


    "I knew I could count on you, Ethan buddy! I¡¯ll treat you to drinks later!"


    Ave looked at Hagrid with sympathy; the last person to trust Ethan so completely had been Marshall, whose body should now have been returned to Gear City.


    Ignorant of this, Hagrid left clutching his back.


    The room fell silent once more.


    Ethan said, "Alright, I¡¯ll go get ready then."


    "Wait a moment."


    Ave suddenly called out to him, still staring fixedly at the ragdoll cat on Ethan¡¯s shoulder, saying, "This breed of cat is quite delicate; it¡¯s one thing if you eat hard bread yourself, but don¡¯t feed her coarse food every day!"


    "Meow!"


    The cat voiced her discontent, swiftly leaped down from Ethan¡¯s shoulder, ran into the kitchen, and came out with a long piece of hard bread, demonstratively munching on it before Ave.

 Chapter 55: Great, we鈥檙e doomed.

    Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Great, we¡¯re doomed.Ethan stayed in the study sorting documents until the afternoon because coordinating with the Expeditionary Army wasn¡¯t just a matter of talking. He had to meticulously organize documentation on Ximu Town¡¯s geography, the incidents of Evil God worship, and any intelligence that might be relevant, and then hand it over to the commander of the Expeditionary Army.


    Playing is one thing, but this was a matter of life and death.


    How to set traps, how to allocate troops, where to fight the decisive battle?


    Every decision would determine the fate of the Expeditionary Army and even the entire Ximu Town. If the Expeditionary Army¡¯s ambush failed, no one could guarantee whether the Dream Eaters would take out their wrath on Ximu Town. From what he gathered from the Horned Owl Beast Daily, if they had their sights set on Ximu Town, Riverside Town would become their previous example.


    The more Ethan wrote, the more tightly his brow furrowed.


    They knew nothing about those two Dream Eater members¡ªnot their identity, rank, path, or even which Evil God they believed in. The only information was that an informant reported that two Dream Eater members had come to the Empire¡¯s border.


    This was not a good sign.


    If Ethan were a high-ranking imperial officer, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be rushing to mobilize such a large-scale Expeditionary Army with such incomplete intelligence. The noise created all along the way would make it unrealistic not to alert the enemy.


    But in reality, he was nothing, just an E-class investigator at the Ximu Town Reception Bureau¡¯s base. The imperial high-ups didn¡¯t even know such a person existed, so Ethan could only express his concerns at the end of the document, hoping that the Expeditionary Army commander would be a wise decision-maker who would think things over carefully.


    The cat saw that Ethan was busy in the study and didn¡¯t disturb him. With graceful steps, it walked into the kitchen, jumped onto the cupboard, and observed the small hen in the kitchen building a cauldron, laying out herbs she had scavenged from who knows where. She even knew how to pick up a bucket with her mouth to pour water into the cauldron and would use a twig to light the cauldron.


    Amid Ethan¡¯s documentation process, the clinking of bottles and jars occasionally came from next door. Only after handling his official duties did he have time to check the source of the noise.


    When he opened the kitchen door, he immediately doubted if his young eyes were already failing.


    What¡¯s going on here?


    A ragdoll cat was instructing a wolf chicken to brew a magic potion.


    Several jars of brewed magic potions were already placed on the kitchen counter, and the liquid in the glass jars was emitting a marvelous glow.


    The cat glanced at him, as if with a look that said, "If it¡¯s not urgent, don¡¯t disturb us," her aura becoming chilly, bringing about an inexplicable sense of oppression, much like the one from his former class teacher.


    "I¡¯m going out to work first. I¡¯ll make dinner for you when I get back tonight."


    Ethan pointed to the door.


    Miss Keroy tried to nod in response but got a paw tap on her forehead from the cat.


    "Meow!"


    With a stern cry, Miss Keroy immediately bit down on a metal rod found from who knows where, ran around the cauldron, and swiftly stirred the murky liquid inside.


    Following this, the cat nodded towards Ethan, giving him a reassuring look.


    What a reliable cat.


    But still, he felt something was a bit odd.


    Suddenly, there was a feeling as if the mother was tutoring the child at home while the father went out to work with a briefcase.


    But since he was tied up with official duties, he didn¡¯t have time to think too much. He packed up the documents and rushed to the agreed location.


    The location was at the southwest corner of the town, which was the only way to Gear City. Ethan specially pointed out in the document that if the ultimate goal of the two Dream Eater members was to head to a big city in the Empire, the Expeditionary Army should ambush in the mountain pass between Ximu Town and Gear City. The terrain was treacherous, and with the camp equipped with firearms, arrows, and other weapons, they could easily gain the high ground advantage.


    The dense forest could be utilized as well, serving as an ideal location for fire attacks.


    Ave was already waiting at the roadside. Seeing Ethan approaching, she waved from afar.


    Seeing the document tucked in Ethan¡¯s arms, she nodded with satisfaction¡ªthat was why she wanted Ethan as her assistant. This thought had never changed; alas, he had a particular liking for working at the Reception Bureau, so she had to resort to a roundabout tactic.


    She still had enough time to form a bond with Ethan, making him gradually inseparable from such a good superior like her.


    It wasn¡¯t until night had completely fallen that the sound of urgent hooves came from outside the town. Almost in the blink of an eye, two silhouettes flashing through the darkness appeared in Ethan¡¯s sight. The foremost woman had striking red hair, a single ponytail fluttering in the wind, closely followed by a young man about fourteen or fifteen years old, whose armor was much heavier than the woman¡¯s.


    The woman tightened the reins, leaping into the air as the white horse reared up. Under the intertwining of moonlight and streetlamp shadows, she landed gracefully with a front flip right in front of the two.


    Only then did Ethan see the woman¡¯s waist, strapping not the Empire Knights¡¯ special thin sword, but a weapon that looked much like a fire gun.


    Was all this flashiness just for a meeting?


    Ethan silently ridiculed in his heart while watching Ave step forward and embrace the red-haired woman warmly.


    "This is Lady Bi¡¯an, a High-tier Knight of Neseriel Sanctuary, personally appointed by His Majesty Henry as the Imperial Knight Commander."


    Clearly, Bi¡¯an wasn¡¯t her real name; it was a title granted by the Empire.


    Bi¡¯an waved casually at Ethan and said proactively, "Are you Little Ave¡¯s subordinate? I watched her grow up. Back then, I wanted her to join the Kingdom Army, but unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t interested in wielding swords and guns at all."


    "A pleasure to meet you, Lady Bi¡¯an."


    Ethan greeted her while the young boy who had arrived with Bi¡¯an tied his horse up and then stood obediently behind her.


    The arrival of the Imperial Knight Commander greatly boosted Ethan¡¯s confidence.


    Because, simply put, this title meant that the red-haired woman in front of them was one of the Empire¡¯s best fighters, showing the Empire¡¯s high level of concern for this matter.


    Bi¡¯an then placed a hand on the young man¡¯s shoulder, pushing him in front of the two and introducing, "His name is Lance. He¡¯s a very brave young man and volunteered to join this expedition. I have high hopes for him. If I were to fall in battle one day, maybe he¡¯ll take my place in the future."


    "Don¡¯t say such ominous things."


    From Ave¡¯s resigned tone, it wasn¡¯t hard to tell that Bi¡¯an wasn¡¯t speaking straightforwardly like this for the first time. She noticed the skirt armor on the boy, and aside from the standard longsword, he also had three rolls of what appeared to be magic scrolls bound at his waist.


    "He¡¯s learned magic too?" S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, you mean those¡ªhis sweetheart gave them to him before the journey."


    Bi¡¯an teased with a smile, while Lance immediately flushed red, stammering, "That¡¯s just Miss Anna, she¡¯s just worried..."


    Hmm?


    Ethan¡¯s eyes suddenly sharpened.


    Miss Anna, sweetheart, three magic scrolls, and a grand expedition...


    All the clues connected in an instant, reminding him almost immediately of what the old butler had said.


    ¡ª"They received a one-way mission; that kid is destined not to come back."


    The newly built confidence immediately crumbled.


    Great, it¡¯s the sacrificial boy chosen by the old butler¡ªit looks like we¡¯re doomed!

 Chapter 56 - s: Snow Cherry

    Chapter 56: 56 Chapters: Snow CherryEthan believed that there was definitely something fishy about this matter.


    Before this Expeditionary Army set out, the old butler seemed to have received some internal information from somewhere, knowing that the young man named Lance was destined to die at the Empire¡¯s border, but he could not ascertain whether it was the family who bribed the Expedition Army¡¯s Knights to eliminate Lance when necessary, or if this mission was a suicide operation from the start.


    If it was the latter, many of the questions he had while organizing the documents were answered.


    No detailed intelligence, no specific battle plans, and even before the war started, the troop¡¯s movements were grandly exposed...


    At least in Ethan¡¯s understanding, when battling High-tier Transcendents, this was absolutely taboo.


    Then the question arises, if even a Grade E investigator from a small border town like him could spot these issues, couldn¡¯t the strategists and decision-makers in the capital see them?


    Unless those people intentionally concealed important intelligence, aiming to let all the elite soldiers of the Kingdom Army perish here.


    This thought immediately made Ethan break out in a cold sweat.


    Lady Bi¡¯an was personally appointed as the Kingdom Knight Commander by the King, and the "higher-ups" capable of issuing such orders must be someone who could cover the sky with one hand within the capital.


    As people often say, some things shouldn¡¯t be pondered over deeply, whoever does so will die!


    Ethan watched Lady Bi¡¯an chatting and laughing with Ave, feeling she might not even be aware of the seriousness of the situation.


    He coughed lightly and asked, "Lady Bi¡¯an, I carefully read the briefings sent over by the branch bureau. The description of the Eclipse members is extremely vague, with hardly any mention of characteristics that can quickly identify them; only that they operate in pairs."


    Not even the most important transcendental rank was mentioned.


    The Fallen Saints are a folk speculation about the Eclipse members, but this rhetoric has never been officially acknowledged.


    In reality, their whereabouts are elusive, they vanish without a trace before the Empire¡¯s high-tier Transcendents hear of them and come.


    Ethan retained a sliver of hope, wishing that he was just being conspiratorial about this matter.


    However, Lady Bi¡¯an responded with a radiant smile, "Seems like you¡¯ve done quite some homework beforehand; that¡¯s all there is."


    "That¡¯s all?"


    Ethan confirmed once more.


    "Uh-huh." Lady Bi¡¯an nodded casually, and turned to Ave saying, "Now I understand why you pay such close attention to him."


    Ethan felt no joy from the praise of others; he only wanted to hastily visit Fireplace Bay, hoping he might gather some critical information from the old butler.


    Lady Bi¡¯an came over again, blatantly patting his shoulder, "I have high hopes for you, the Reception Bureau is a good place, work hard, but if someday you can¡¯t manage anymore, you¡¯re welcome to join the Kingdom Army!"


    Is the Kingdom Army that easy to get into?


    At that moment, Ethan shared Ave¡¯s helplessness with empathy; this Knight Commander seemed excessively out-of-line and spoke without much thought.


    Luckily, Captain Hagrid was home sick, or else this would unquestionably be another profound blow for him.


    Knowing that Hagrid had struggled painfully before finally falling at the Kingdom Army¡¯s third trial segment.


    "Lady Bi¡¯an, Captain Hagrid he¡ª"


    "Eh?"


    Ethan was interrupted by Lady Bi¡¯an¡¯s bizarre conduct as he readied to tell the story about "Captain Hagrid¡¯s unfortunate injury in battle against the monster drunkard", but Lady Bi¡¯an suddenly used both hands to hold his arms, stood on tiptoe, and brought her nose close to the top of his head.


    Ethan was stunned into stillness by this sudden scene.


    "Hmm, not here."


    Lady Bi¡¯an sniffed along his hair, becoming surprised as she reached his shoulders and chest, "Why do you smell like snow cherries? Where did you buy them from? Ximu Town actually sells snow cherries?"


    "Snow cherries?"


    Ethan regained his composure, swiftly stepping back two steps, widening the distance between him and Lady Bi¡¯an.


    He felt that the Knight Commander¡¯s look at him was quite peculiar, as if she was about to devour him, and therefore cast a pleading glance towards Ave, who stood with golden hair on top, carefree, appearing as though laughing heartily.


    Ave acted as the interpreter, "Snow cherries are a rare fruit from the Empire¡¯s northern border."


    "Don¡¯t doubt my sense of smell!"


    Lady Bi¡¯an proudly puffed her chest, "My subordinates all say my nose is sharper than a dog¡¯s. If they have midnight snacks, they¡¯d definitely be caught by me!"


    "They probably weren¡¯t praising you."


    Ave weakly responded, she had heard that before assuming the post of Knight Commander, Lady Bi¡¯an had set a rule for her subordinates: if they snuck snacks, they must include her.


    "Oh, it must have been Zhaocai who ate them."


    Ethan understood, as even while sleeping last night he smelled strange fruit aromas from Zhaocai.


    "Zhaocai?"


    "It¡¯s a ragdoll cat that recently returned to the town after ending its journey, maybe she ate snow cherries elsewhere before."


    "So a kitty huh."


    Lady Bi¡¯an understood, gazing upwards with a reminiscent tone, "They say snow cherries were initially discovered deep in the snow-covered mountains by cats raised by people from the north. Ah, it¡¯s been so long since I ate them. Wouldn¡¯t mind trying them once more."


    Ultimately, Lady Bi¡¯an was drawn in by the banquet and brushed the thought of snow cherries aside. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After bidding farewell to everyone, Ethan hurried home, the ominous foreboding growing stronger, requiring him to head to Fireplace Bay posthaste.


    He prepared dinner for Zhaocai and Miss Keroy, merely gnawing on some hard bread himself before donning the mage¡¯s attire. As he left, Zhaocai used a cabinet to leap onto his shoulder, straightening his tilted mage hat and slightly messy bangs, quietly watching as he left for afar.


    A tumultuous night was destined.


    About ten minutes after Ethan left home, a silhouette appeared outside the apartment living room window.


    The ragdoll cat directing Miss Keroy to pack alchemy tools glanced at the smiling mask outside the window, then jumped down from the cabinet, climbed on the table and reached the windowsill, making another leap to land on the path outside the apartment.


    She walked ahead without a backward glance, the black-haired woman with the smile mask silently trailing behind her, disappearing swiftly around the corner.


    "Firstly, I must clarify one thing, I didn¡¯t mean to intrude on you."


    The black-haired woman who halted alongside the ragdoll cat in a corner even moonlight couldn¡¯t reach, proactively cleared things up.


    The cat led her to this corner and said nothing as it lifted its head, staring at her with chilling red eyes, the scene eerily resembled one ready for killing and silencing, raising her goosebumps.


    She tentatively spoke, "Um, wouldn¡¯t you meow a bit? I¡¯m scared."


    "Meow!"


    The cat granted her wish, simultaneously darting like an arrow to perch itself on her shoulder.


    "Ah, goodness! Don¡¯t scratch my face!"


    The black-haired woman struggled, speaking, "We are targeted by the Imperial Knight Order, led by the Empire¡¯s Knight Commander."


    The cat ceased its scratches, calmly meeting her gaze, waiting for more information.


    "The Elder Council¡¯s stance is to spare no one alive."


    The black-haired woman paused and continued, "This coincidentally aligns with your wishes, doesn¡¯t it? Once the Empire¡¯s Knight Commander dies here, soon, the entire nation will descend into chaos."


    ```

 Chapter 57: Beauty Snake

    Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Beauty SnakeAt the same time, in Fireplace Bay, Blackwater Town.


    Horn anxiously waited at the front of the town. It had been a whole day since the unrest in the imperial capital. Originally, he should have already been sent to the gallows by the furious Patriarch, but after a vote by the seven-member council, a decision was made to send someone to contact Heisenberg, and he naturally became the representative of the Empire.


    The situation had long spiraled out of his control.


    But yesterday, Heisenberg did not show up. Horn waited at the entrance of Blackwater Town all night and eventually had to return without success. However, tonight, he finally saw that figure dressed in a worn elemental mage¡¯s uniform.


    "Yo, you¡¯re still alive, old man who likes to visit places of indulgence!" sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ethan saw the old butler and waved at him from afar, "So, are you satisfied with the magic scrolls I sold you?"


    Upon hearing this, Horn immediately flew into a rage and blurted out, "Ice slides, ice forests, and frozen big birds¡ªthis is what you call an Ice Arrow!?"


    He felt a bit afraid now, especially when Miss Anna tore open the second magic scroll, which froze the entire street. Silver Fox is still lying in the hospital. Besides his physical injuries, the high-level healers believe the ice element disturbed his body¡¯s magic Power pathways, which might take several months to rehabilitate, and it¡¯s unclear whether he will fully recover.


    Horn excitedly grabbed Ethan¡¯s arm and shook it, "Your magic is way too dangerous! Do you know that if something went wrong, Miss could have become a murderer, implicating the entire family!"


    It was precisely because there were no deaths that the council considered further contact with Heisenberg possible, although Horn found it hard to imagine how such a wide-reaching spell managed not to hurt any imperial capital residents.


    The result was that Miss Anna was grounded, and due to the commotion at the barracks, Aisoke began to reconsider the engagement. The old master was so upset that he couldn¡¯t sleep, throwing things around the house and completely losing the noble demeanor he should have had.


    But in Horn¡¯s view, this might not be a bad thing.


    "That¡¯s impossible; if it frequently killed clients, how could my little shop stay in business?"


    He broke free from Horn and said, "That being the case, your young lady should have already used the scroll. Let me guess...that ¡¯evil mage¡¯ was severely injured and won¡¯t be back for several months, and other than that, no unrelated residents were hurt by my magic."


    Ethan was a professional Magic Scroll Painter who would complete orders according to the clients¡¯ identities and requests, and the scroll that the young lady received was an Ice Arrow (Fairy Tale Special Edition). Large-scale casualties clearly did not fit the "fairy tale" theme.


    Horn was taken aback.


    Even the time Silver Fox spent recovering was within Ethan¡¯s calculation.


    "As long as clients strictly adhere to my instructions, unexpected situations will never occur. Elements are far more trustworthy than humans."


    This was why Ethan had to write nine Ice Arrow scrolls. He of course considered the clients¡¯ ages and their level of understanding of magic, thus he provided the most detailed possible requirements on the three basic concepts of "leaving home," "combat," and "escape."


    "No wonder, no wonder..."


    Horn muttered to himself. Years ago, he was fortunate enough to meet that entity whose name must not be mentioned. When Miss Anna curiously asked about the knowledge of Elemental Shapers, that person had said similar words.


    No wonder the council valued Heisenberg so highly; if it weren¡¯t a man standing in front of him, he would almost believe those rumors about witches still being alive.


    Horn steadied himself and took out a prepared invitation, "According to the agreement, this is your reward."


    The invitation was embossed with gold edges, and the cover depicted a Horned Owl Beast spreading its wings, a rare magical creature and the totem of the Lofic Consortium.


    "Although technically I shouldn¡¯t pry into clients¡¯ privacy, if possible, I¡¯d like to know more about that Expeditionary Army you mentioned as being on a suicide mission last time."


    Ethan said, "I can pay you a fee for the information at the market price in Fireplace Bay, but I¡¯m not very rich; I hope I can offset it with magic scrolls."


    "No, that¡¯s not what I said."


    Horn¡¯s expression changed slightly, becoming alert as he fixed his eyes on Ethan and corrected him, "I said, ¡¯That child is most likely not coming back.¡¯"


    This was a completely different concept from the Expeditionary Army receiving a suicide mission. Although nobles involved were aware of what was happening, telling an outsider so blatantly was another matter entirely.


    If it became known that the Empire¡¯s Knight Commander and the Kingdom¡¯s army elite were sent to die, that would be a charge nobody could bear.


    On the surface, a crisis had emerged at the Empire¡¯s border, and it made sense for the Empire¡¯s Knight Commander to lead troops to investigate. Even the envoy from the Neseriel Sanctuary would not find anything procedurally wrong.


    What made him deeply uneasy was why Heisenberg suddenly wanted to inquire about this?


    "Mr. Heisenberg, no matter your reasons, I advise you not to pursue this further, for your own good."


    Horn spoke sincerely.


    "If it¡¯s inconvenient, then forget it."


    Ethan waved his hand, "Now that the transaction is complete, let¡¯s part ways here."


    Perhaps he could gather some information in Blackwater Town.


    Horn wanted to say something but didn¡¯t know where to start.


    As a puppet manipulated by the council, he couldn¡¯t reveal too much. Every piece of information about the Empire had to be reported upwards. The Pope had personally summoned him, branding him with some kind of mark and discreetly instructing him that in future contacts, he should allow himself to become a puppet controlled by the Empire, casting aside personal will altogether.


    Perhaps keeping a certain distance from Heisenberg was the best outcome for both parties.


    Meanwhile, Ethan was warmly welcomed the moment he stepped into Blackwater Town.


    "Mr. Heisenberg, I¡¯ve heard so much about you."


    A woman dressed in a black leather outfit approached him. The leather clung tightly to her skin, showcasing her alluring curves. The woman was well aware of her allure and unabashedly flaunted her impressive figure. She wore a red masquerade mask with a pair of enchanting purple vertical pupils.


    Beauty Snake.


    Ethan immediately thought of these three words.


    She invited Ethan, "It¡¯s your first time here, right? Let me show you around the town."


    "No, thanks, I have no money."


    Ethan immediately declined. He had pressing matters to attend to and didn¡¯t want to accidentally find himself in some peculiar places. His partner, the Shepherd, had mentioned more than once that the waters of the town were deep, filled with many transactions illegal in the Empire and numerous "exciting" performances.


    Beauty Snake was momentarily taken aback before smiling, "You¡¯re quite the joker, aren¡¯t you? Such a distinguished guest comes to Blackwater Town; naturally, we must treat you well. You may call me ¡¯Rattler,¡¯ and you seem quite interested in that Imperial Expeditionary Army, aren¡¯t you?"

 Chapter 58: Order

    Chapter 58: Chapter 58: OrderMiss Xiangwei came prepared.


    Although Ethan agreed to her invitation, he was also prepared for the possibility that if Miss Xiangwei took him to places that violated public morality, he would definitely snort coldly and leave. However, he ultimately made the mistake of judging based on appearances, as her attire and figure led him to a preconceived erroneous judgment.


    He conducted deep self-reflection.


    "This place is called Star Gnomon Lane, where you can find nearly every shop related to mysticism, high-tier magic scroll shops, magic potion stores, the Astrology Society, magic bookstores..."


    Xiangwei smiled as she introduced Ethan, appealing to one¡¯s interests is the basic principle of the consortium in dealing with people. They conducted extensive investigations and found that the only hobby of this suddenly emerging Elemental Shaper, besides liking to release ice arrows over the Black Sea, was to stroll around magic bookstores on merchant ships.


    He even inquired with the bookstore owner about books on teleportation magic. Upon learning that the store did not have such high-tier magic books, he left disappointed.


    Thus, an image of a scholar who transcended lowly interests and was keen on mysticism emerged vividly.


    But it seems rightly so, Mr. Heisenberg looked young, yet managed to achieve such attainment in both Elemental Shaping and magic scroll painting, must have exerted unimaginable efforts, perhaps even using his sleeping time for study.


    Ethan was immersed in the rich academic atmosphere of mysticism in Star Gnomon Lane, where you could see people wearing mage robes and holding magic books walking the streets, and if you saw a small group gathered, they must be earnestly discussing a certain spell.


    Even the street lamps were remodeled in a pumpkin style, with energizing crystals embedded in the pumpkin¡¯s eyes, shining cold light on the path.


    Most of Star Gnomon Lane¡¯s inhabitants were followers of Kadela, the God of Trickery.


    As one of only two commonly seen "mages" in the Empire, in Ethan¡¯s understanding, their spell system is more like that of wizards, known for their myriad transformative spells. He speculated that those high-tier mages probably mastered spells like "Avada Kedavra".


    "By the way, since we were unable to contact you yesterday, there¡¯s one matter we haven¡¯t managed to obtain your consent on yet; please do not blame us for being presumptuous."


    As she spoke, Xiangwei suddenly stopped walking.


    Ethan looked up, and the splendid sign illuminated by energizing crystals came into view.


    Old Sen Magic Scroll Shop.


    Regardless of the shop¡¯s size, its decor inside was far more luxurious than the VIP area on merchant ships. At this moment, the shop¡¯s staff were already in place, uniformly dressed and wearing identical masks, sweeping the floors.


    Everything was ready, except the shelves were empty, seemingly waiting for a Magic Scroll Painter to arrive.


    He could use these resources to quickly enhance the skill level of elemental diagramming, though the custom orders solved his urgent needs, such output was destined to not quickly increase proficiency. After three commissions, his elemental diagramming remained at the beginner (24/45) stage.


    If it were someone else, they might joyfully accept the fortune that fell from the sky.


    "It certainly is rather presumptuous."


    Ethan awoke from delightful fantasies, absolutely believing that the shop was equipped with a luxury magic scroll painting workshop, which made him think of the previous decisions faced by chemist Mr. Heisenberg, for whom drug lords once provided a "laundering shop".


    There¡¯s no free lunch in this world.


    He said, "I¡¯m currently not considering being employed."


    "I completely understand your concerns, but the consortium believes that a talented Elemental Shaper like you shouldn¡¯t be without a decent shop. You can view this as the consortium¡¯s investment in you."


    "Are you suggesting I should go to the Imperial Reserve for a loan to start up?"


    "Though I don¡¯t know what happened, it seems you bear a deep grudge against the consortium. The consortium will not place any demands on you; whatever you wish to sell in the shop is entirely up to you."


    "So, you¡¯re saying you have no standards, make no demands on revenue, providing me the shop located in the central area of Star Gnomon Lane to use freely without expecting a return; do I look like such an easily deceived person?"


    At this point, Ethan paused briefly and continued, "On this journey, I¡¯ve only seen mages, and there is an Astrology Society here, indicating that you have close ties with the Astrology Association. So, you must have heard that the relationship between mages and Elemental Shapers is not harmonious."


    Where mages are entrenched, the presence of Elemental Shapers is certainly unseen.


    Even someone like him, residing in a border town of the Empire with extremely limited access to mysticism field news, knows about the grudges of both parties.


    Not long ago, the merchant ship¡¯s magic scroll shop owner commented on basic elemental magic scrolls, representing the Elemental Shapers during an era.


    With the rise of gunpowder and firearms, low-tier elemental spells gradually lost market share. Rather than functional and nearly solely battle-use elemental magic, today¡¯s nobles and wealthy merchants prefer the varied and widely usable scroll-type magic spells.


    In this fierce market competition, Elemental Shapers became the losing side.


    Market environment changes have made mages revered and admired figures, whereas Elemental Shapers could only return akin to age-abandoned craftsmen to their Ivory Tower¡ªthe academy. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ethan believed that the Lofic Consortium surely knew these backgrounds since most mysticism shops in the Empire were funded by them; the prices of mages and magic scrolls were manipulated behind the scenes.


    The act of establishing a magic scroll shop run by an Elemental Shaper in the central area of Star Gnomon Lane was a malicious plot.


    He just hadn¡¯t figured out the consortium¡¯s purpose for doing so yet; if the plan was merely to mock or humiliate him via mages, that would be far too childish.


    "It seems nothing escapes your keen insight; the consortium just wants mages to return to their previously competitive state. They¡¯ve been standing stagnant for way too long, instantly surpassed by your magic."


    Miss Xiangwei complimented with a smile, "You can also interpret this shop as the reward for your first order."


    "Order?"


    "Your magic was quite impressive; this is an order only you, Mr. Heisenberg, can fulfill. Regardless of how many materials you need, whatever assistants you require, the consortium will strive to meet your demands, but we have just one requirement."


    Those purple serpent eyes stared at Ethan; after polite exchanges, the serpent seemed finally ready to show its fangs.


    "We wish for you to create a spell¡ªa spell that can eliminate the Imperial Knight Commander."

 Chapter 59: The Sun Will Eventually Set

    Chapter 59: 59: The Sun Will Eventually SetEthan was shocked by the level of free speech in Fireplace Bay: you could even openly discuss topics like eliminating the Imperial Knight Commander here. He couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how people become more assertive once they don a mask.


    "Don¡¯t misunderstand, this is just a precautionary measure. We won¡¯t use it unless absolutely necessary."


    Noticing Ethan¡¯s shocked expression, Miss Xiangwei explained, "Besides us, there are many who want to get rid of her. Even if it comes to using the scroll, we¡¯ll handle the aftermath, ensuring that neither you nor your Magic Scroll Shop is in any way involved."


    "Is the Knight Commander¡¯s reputation really that bad?"


    Ethan couldn¡¯t help but ask, as it seemed like everyone was eager to see her gone.


    "The Knight Commander is one of the few righteous individuals left in the Empire today. She adheres to the knight¡¯s code and is a model for the Kingdom Army. I greatly admire someone like her, and precisely for this reason, she must die."


    In a tone of praise, Xiangwei revealed a terrifying truth.


    Turns out, it¡¯s about picking sides.


    Ethan suddenly understood. At a good time, a loyal and upright Knight Commander would undoubtedly be the strongest support for the Empire. But now, the Empire¡¯s situation is miles away from any "good time" standard. Back when he was a clerk at the Guild, he almost always heard hunters discussing that the King wouldn¡¯t live long.


    If the turmoil in the capital was severe enough for even border residents to frequently discuss it, it meant the situation was already very serious.


    Hunters felt deep unease and bewilderment over the King¡¯s impending demise, as if the glory of the Empire that they used to speak of was drifting away from them.


    So, if caught in bad times, someone like the Knight Commander would probably be eliminated at the first opportunity.


    "If the Knight Commander were to die at the hands of the Evil God¡¯s Followers, it would be the most dignified outcome for everyone. If she somehow survived, then someone must ensure that the Empire stays on the right track."


    "War will break out, is this what you believe the right track to be?"


    Ethan asked.


    This was the greatest concern for border residents; once war breaks out, small towns like Ximu Town on the border would be the first to suffer.


    "If you¡¯re worried about these issues, how about living in the Western Continent? The Deep Sea Council has established a new civilization there, where Steam Technology will replace the old order. The consortium can prepare a large ship for you."


    Speaking, Xiangwei looked up at the sky of Fireplace Bay, eternally shrouded in darkness, as if inspired, "If the sun is eventually to set, the key is what we can gain before it does, isn¡¯t it?"


    In a few words, she predicted the future of the Empire.


    Ethan understood, to some extent, this also represented the consortium¡¯s assessment of the Empire¡¯s future situation. Rather than endless power struggles, they chose another path.


    Seize everything by fair mean or foul, then migrate to the Western Continent said to nurture the new civilization¡¯s seeds.


    Therefore, the consortium couldn¡¯t wish more for a war to engulf the Empire. When the court and nobles were too exhausted dealing with the war, they could seize wealth unabashedly. In the history before he crossed over, many had gained massive wealth this way.


    "Mr. Heisenberg, I¡¯ve heard some rumors about you."


    Xiangwei withdrew her gaze and looked directly into his eyes behind the mask, kindly reminding, "If it were me, I might turn Gold Lion into gold, energy crystals, or magic potions ¡ª commodities common in Fireplace Bay. Maybe soon, money will be worthless."


    "Thank you for the reminder, your words have greatly benefited me."


    Ethan sincerely expressed his gratitude, suddenly feeling a sense of enlightenment.


    "Then regarding the order, what¡¯s your response?"


    "The Old Sen Magic Scroll Shop¡¯s principle is to meet all customer needs, even if you want to deal with the Empire¡¯s Knight Commander."


    Then he changed his tone, "But since the target is extraordinary, I need to use a unique and dangerous spell. Before that, you must know some important matters related to my reputation."


    "Please go ahead."


    Xiangwei earnestly took out a notebook, the stone in her heart finally set down.


    Heisenberg agreed with their philosophy, or perhaps they were fundamentally of the same kind.


    "As I mentioned, this spell involves some forbidden knowledge, so until absolutely necessary, it must not be used. Whoever you plan to send for the job must understand that the cost of this spell is his life."


    Ethan cited terminology from "Fireball and Ice Arrow Magic Power Theory," "The essence of elemental spells is emotion. The more desperate the situation, the stronger the spell¡¯s power. You need someone who is ready to die."


    "Of course."


    Xiangwei noted down every word, a smile appeared on her lips. Heisenberg¡¯s warnings made her believe the spell¡¯s power is unimaginably strong.


    Having advised these, Ethan once again looked at the bright and dazzling sign of the "Old Sen Magic Shop," changing his mind, "As agreed, I¡¯ll run this shop."


    Xiangwei¡¯s earlier words had enlightened him, showing that his thinking was ultimately too conservative. When the consortium offered an olive branch, he instinctively didn¡¯t want to partner with them.


    But as Xiangwei said, if the sun is eventually to set, what can they gain before it does?


    What will not disappear due to war?


    The answer is knowledge and skill proficiency.


    And in Star Gnomon Lane, Ethan found everything he needed. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Magic potion shop, Magic Scroll Workshop, the countless knowledge in the Magic Book store, and the seemingly endless materials for alchemy and elemental mapping in the workshop.


    As for promises, grievances, debts, as Xiangwei said, once war breaks out, it will turn into an asset impossible to calculate, with at least half of those registered magicians heading to the battlefield.


    Before then, all of this can be his!


    After bidding farewell to Xiangwei, the enlightened Ethan went straight into the shop, simply greeting staff before heading for the workshop. The consortium provided him with the absolute finest drawing tools, those measurement tools he¡¯d only seen in the "Magic Scroll Simple Production Process," neatly arranged on the workbench.


    More importantly, there was a stack of energy sheepskin in the workshop, several piles each of low-grade and high-grade, seemingly countless when first glanced over.


    At this moment, he finally didn¡¯t have to consider customer needs, mechanically improving elemental mapping skill proficiency like he used to make scrolls in the game.


    Ethan diligently worked on the workbench for over two hours. When he got the prompt that his elemental mapping had improved to a beginner level, the workbench had more than twenty ice arrow scrolls stacked on it.


    He took these over twenty scrolls out of the workshop, almost immediately garnering surprised looks from the staff.


    Most of them had been in the Magic Scroll Workshop and knew it might be one of the most meticulous tasks in the world, with even the best Magic Scroll Painter unable to produce more than a few high-level scrolls in one night.


    And their boss had made over twenty in one go!


    "Boss, what¡¯s the pricing for these scrolls?"


    Everyone was fully alert.


    "Pricing? No price, take these scrolls to the merchant ships at the port dock and distribute them to hunters and investigators. The key is ensuring they soon find occasions to use them."


    Based on the principle of shared proficiency in magic scrolls, Ethan devised an upgrade chain for himself.


    These basic scrolls aiding elemental mapping proficiency could be re-used, acting to have others fight monsters for leveling up.


    "Distribute? If I understood correctly, you¡¯re implying to give them for free?"


    "This is commercial operation."


    Ethan said sternly, pretending to be profound, "First, we need customers to understand the quality of the product!"


    Even though beginner elemental magic scrolls had lost the market, they couldn¡¯t resist being given away for free.


    The only drawback to this method is that it burns money.


    But fortunately, someone was willing to help him increase proficiency for free.


    What more could he say?


    This scroll is sponsored and distributed by the Lofic Consortium.

 Chapter 60:

    Chapter 60: Chapter 60: "Fireball and Ice Arrow Magic Power Studies (Part 2)Before dawn, Ethan returned home.


    As usual, he pushed open a crack in Miss Keroy¡¯s door and saw a cozy scene: the little hen curled up on the bed, with her head buried under her wing, sleeping soundly, while an open alchemy parchment book lay next to the pillow, calming his anxious heart.


    However, when he returned to the master bedroom, the sight inside once again made his heart leap to his throat.


    Zhaocai was still awake, sitting at the bedside, staring straight at him.


    For some reason, Ethan immediately felt as if he¡¯d been caught fooling around.


    The cat stared at him for a while, said nothing, turned around, walked to the pillow, and patted the soft fabric with her paw.


    Zhaocai was becoming increasingly clingy, to the point that she couldn¡¯t sleep without being cuddled and soothed; this was not a good trend. Yet, despite this, Ethan felt wide awake.


    Rattail¡¯s remarks made him realize that he needed to change his future plans. Initially, he intended to work as a public servant until retirement, then buy a house in a slower-paced city and enjoy a leisurely retired life.


    He had finally come to know the daughter of a great aristocratic family in the Imperial Capital, and even received a promise for a recommendation letter from the bureau, but now, someone was telling him the Empire was about to go to war.


    What does the future hold for Old Sen?


    After freshening up and lying in bed with the blankets pulled over him, he couldn¡¯t help but worry about his future. Before crossing into this world, he lived in a peaceful era and his understanding of war came mainly from film and historical excerpts; nevertheless, he was well aware of the brutality of war.


    A fluffy white bundle snuggled into his arms, looking up at him, seemingly prepared to listen.


    Reflecting on it, when he first arrived in this world, whenever he encountered something troubling, he would vent to Zhaocai. She was a good listener and there was no need to worry that she would gossip about guild affairs.


    Indeed, people often lower their guard in front of harmless little animals.


    That night, Ethan spoke a lot.


    He started with his self-made plans for a career as a public servant and retirement, then moved onto the news he gathered tonight from Fireplace Bay. With the King¡¯s health deteriorating, the power struggle in the imperial capital was far more severe than he imagined, and the Church had already chosen sides. Even if it risked plunging the entire country into war, they insisted on seizing power.


    Meanwhile, the Lofic Consortium was banking on the chaos to make a fortune from the war.


    Given the circumstances, the outbreak of war had become inevitable.


    "Perhaps the seventh will be the last King of the Empire."


    Ethan said, based on his understanding, the Pope ultimately in charge would prop up a puppet king. The knights of Neseriel Sanctuary would face further marginalization until entirely fading from public view. The new regime would persist for a few years only to collapse under internal and external pressures.


    Countless dynasties in history have traveled this same road to their end.


    He knew this was somewhat incomprehensible for a little kitty, but that was also why he could speak about it freely. In the face of the wheels of history, all he could do was quickly enhance his skills to avoid being crushed.


    The cat, as usual, remained silent, simply watching him.


    This time, however, the distance was closer than two years ago.


    So the cat merely had to lift her paw to easily touch Ethan¡¯s cheek, with the soft pad resting against his face¡ªa uniquely feline way of comforting.


    "Sigh, I really don¡¯t want to go to war."


    Ethan felt the cool touch on his cheek and yawned, "But there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. Zhaocai, if one day war truly breaks out, find a way to sneak onto a steamship and head to the Western Continent, I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s prosperous there."


    "Meow~"


    ...


    Ethan slept until afternoon. He calmed himself and looked around, but Zhaocai was nowhere in sight.


    In the living room, Miss Keroy was curled up in front of the couch, flipping through the parchment book. Seeing him come out, she squinted her eyes and greeted him with a few "clucks".


    He felt the urgency of time and decided to devote all of it to studying since, once war breaks out, he would have little time to sit comfortably in the apartment reading. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After preparing dinner for Miss Keroy and setting Zhaocai¡¯s portion aside, Ethan locked himself in the study, spreading "Fireball Ice Arrow Magic Power Studies" across the desk. He was grateful for having bought the guide to Magic scroll making. Elemental cartography allowed him a deeper understanding of elemental magic itself.


    Recently, he suddenly realized that the proficiency of elemental magic could be likened to a favorability system.


    Max proficiency in Fireball Skill served as the best reference.


    The novice stage represented the first acquaintance with the Elemental Elf; before becoming friends, an Elemental Shaper could only interact in the simplest forms¡ªthe foundation of elemental spells.


    At the beginner stage, his relationship with the Elemental Elf advanced to friendship, allowing him, beyond spells, to transform elemental states¡ªsuch as the conversion of ice and water.


    Intermediate proficiency unlocked casting distance. Ethan was unsure of the limit, but Elemental Elves were quite informed. According to his observation, they could transcend spatial concepts in an extremely short time, engaging in near-lossless communication.


    Knowing the location or coordinates, he could initiate a hailstorm in Ximu Town while being in Gear City or even further.


    At this point in organizing, Ethan¡¯s thoughts were interrupted.


    If proficiency is viewed as a favorability system, then at the intermediate stage, his favorability with the Elemental Elf was already nearing full value. He and the ice element became close, intimate friends, and he couldn¡¯t think of ways to further increase favorability.


    In fact, once proficiency reached the intermediate level, growth speed dramatically declined. Those over ten thousand Fireball Skill casts were mostly consumed here.


    He stared thoughtfully at the flame in his palm; he initially thought fifth-level proficiency unlocked elemental magic¡¯s area of effect, but third-level Ice Arrow overthrew his assumption¡ªin fact, this was achievable by second level already. However, the destructive power of fire elements was strong, and he had never dared to release fire elements fully near the town.


    Yet "Fireball Ice Arrow Magic Power Studies" didn¡¯t touch on the deeper aspects; he had read these simpler explanations hundreds of times and could recite the punctuation marks fluently.


    Even with max-level Fireball Skill, he still had only a superficial understanding, which left Ethan quite troubled.


    At this moment, how he wished Mr. Anonymous were beside him to resolve his doubts.


    "Meow~"


    The meow coming from behind made him reflexively extinguish the flame in his palm. Following the sound, he was surprised to find Zhaocai clawing at the glass; under the moonlight, she lowered her head, picking up a pitch-black parchment book.


    The scene felt familiar, and Ethan almost immediately got up excitedly to open the window for Zhaocai.


    The cat agilely jumped into the study, landing on the window sill.


    She opened her mouth, placing the parchment book by her side. Under the glow of the gas lamp, Ethan could read the text on the title page, his heart skipped a beat.


    ¡ª¡ª"Fireball Ice Arrow Magic Power Studies (Volume 2)".

 Chapter 61: Elemental Promotion

    Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Elemental PromotionThe more Ethan read, the more he felt Mr. Anonymous¡¯s brilliance was unparalleled.


    He eagerly opened "Fireballs and Ice Arrows: The Study of Magic (Part Two)." Next to him, Miss Zhao Cai lazily sprawled under the gas lamp, and everything seemed to revert to a distant past.


    The layout of the second part differed from the first; it no longer categorized elemental magic into multiple segments. In the beginning, the author acknowledged his own achievements in elemental shaper magic, indicating that reaching this part meant he had already explored to this level - an exceptional achievement among elemental shapers.


    Ethan felt an affinity; those words felt like a long-distance conversation. He had always regarded Mr. Anonymous as a good teacher. The teachings from the first part enlightened him as a young small-town man who once knew nothing about elemental shaper magic.


    When this dialogue ended, the concept that followed gave Ethan¡¯s heart a jolt.


    "Elemental Ascension."


    His understanding of the "affinity" system was strikingly similar to Mr. Anonymous¡¯s resonance theory. After Mr. Anonymous achieved the theory of elemental resonance, he stagnated for a long time, even once believing it to be the end of elemental magic.


    From fragments, Ethan could see that Mr. Anonymous had undergone a systematic study of elemental shaper magic and held a good reputation in that system.


    It wasn¡¯t until he shifted his focus from himself to the elemental elves that he finally touched upon a realm beyond resonance.


    The elements themselves can also evolve.


    This was the nascent form of the "ascension" theory and the reason he emphasized the essence of emotions corresponding to elements in the first part.


    Ethan felt even closer to Mr. Anonymous. Upon reading this text, he finally understood the other¡¯s elemental shaping school¡ªit was of an ice elemental shaper who once stood at the pinnacle of the world.


    He involuntarily held his breath, fully engrossed, unwilling to miss a single word or symbol that followed.


    Even someone as formidable as Mr. Anonymous only completed the ascension of a single element, and he believed that within this single ice element, there were still other directions and possibilities for ascension. Not wanting to stifle other possibilities, he used himself as an example to propose the essence discovered during his studies.


    From the "slowness" caused by the ice element to the concept of total "stillness."


    When the ascended ice element was driven by the caster¡¯s magic power, it would create an entirely still space¡ªwith even the concept of time frozen within it¡ªa world belonging solely to the caster in solitude.


    Ethan recalled Mr. Anonymous¡¯s description of the ice element from the first part, where he believed that the ice elemental elf corresponded to pain and downturns.


    Thus, he created an absolutely lonely world.


    Ethan was deeply immersed in the lessons of the parchment; the span between these two books felt like suddenly stepping from a beginner into a saint¡¯s realm.


    Mr. Anonymous mentioned the supreme title of "Saint." When he completed the ascension of elements and looked back, no one could keep up with his pace.


    He also believed that, for elemental shapers, the magic of the saints represented a unique spell that only a specific caster could complete.


    This book would guide future generations forward; to make the final leap, one must facilitate elemental evolution through the "ascension" theory and mark it with a label unique to him.


    Ethan read the parchment over and over. As he said, Mr. Anonymous was a good teacher who could explain profound knowledge usually beyond reach in simple terms. Furthermore, he sincerely and selflessly shared his process and insights during his study of elemental magic.


    As far as Ethan knew, throughout the history of elemental shapers, very few people touched upon this field, and with the hint of the "ice element," it immediately ruled out all incorrect answers for him.


    He understood why the author of this book used "Anonymous" to refer to themselves.


    Some books were too ancient for the author¡¯s identity to be traced; some authors may feared leaving their names, inviting ridicule.


    But there were also those whose name alone would bring disaster upon them, making everyone afraid to mention it.


    Ethan still remembered, whenever the hunters of the guild mentioned the grand Fallen War, everyone would shudder at the reference; even the bravest among them had to lower their voices, as if the air was filled with an unseen chill.


    Ethan closed the parchment and turned his face aside.


    Miss Zhao Cai was also looking at him.


    "Is she still alive?"


    The wordless gaze lasted for a long time; the cat finally nodded slightly. Her eyes were filled with unease and evasiveness, and her breathing turned rapid.


    Nodding meant that Miss Zhao Cai knew of the existence deemed unclean by the Empire and seemingly understood how people evaluated her.


    Ethan could see Miss Zhao Cai¡¯s worry.


    Unbelievable, truly unbelievable.


    Even though he had vaguely thought of Mr. Anonymous as an excellent elemental shaper, he never expected the one who taught him elemental shaper magic was such an incredible figure.


    Ethan raised his hand, and Miss Zhao Cai reflexively shrank into the shadow behind her.


    "That¡¯s really great."


    A warm hand rested on Miss Zhao Cai¡¯s head, "Thanks to her care, if ever there¡¯s a chance in the future, I must be introduced to her. I¡¯ve always wanted to thank her in person, uh."


    Miss Zhao Cai was startled for quite some time.


    "Meow?"


    She tentatively called out, as if asking Ethan.


    "Hmm? You ask why I don¡¯t dislike her? Rather than relying on hearsay, I believe in what I see for myself, so if there¡¯s an opportunity, I¡¯d like to judge for myself what kind of person she is... Huh? What¡¯s that look in your eye?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, Miss Zhao Cai raised her body, her pink tongue licking her lips, staring intently at Ethan, a scene that seemed familiar.


    Those red eyes appeared to ripple with water.


    Then, just like last time.


    The cat arched her body.


    The cat was poised to act.


    The cat sprang from the ground, like a cannonball hitting him.


    The fluffy white lump crashed into his embrace, the force enough to knock both him and the chair to the floor.


    Miss Keroy, startled by the noise from the study, banged her head against the door to open it, only to see Miss Zhao Cai frolicking in Ethan¡¯s arms.


    The little hen was utterly puzzled.


    Miss Zhao Cai heard the noise and turned to glare at her.


    ¡ªLeave!


    Her eyes conveyed that message.


    "Goo."


    Miss Keroy backed out of the study, full of questions, not forgetting to use her beak to close the door.


    Though Miss Zhao Cai¡¯s gaze retained some ferocity, she seemed very happy.


    Miss Zhao Cai seemed happier than she had ever been before.

 Chapter 62: Breaking Bad

    Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Breaking BadWhen Ave and her group visited Ethan¡¯s residence, the ragdoll cat was still firmly occupying Ethan¡¯s shoulder.


    "What brings you all here?"


    Ethan squeezed out a smile, instinctively smoothing his somewhat disheveled hair to hide his embarrassment from being pounced on by the cat.


    Indeed, the Elemental Shaper¡¯s physical strength was still too weak, to be easily knocked over by a little kitty.


    Ave, with a straight face, pointed to the top of Ethan¡¯s head, "Your cat is shedding."


    This aura had a certain commanding presence, like a leader inspecting work with partners.


    "Meow!"


    Miss Zhao Cai seemed a bit embarrassed too, and before Ethan could tidy his hair, she started to groom it with her paws. Sister Bi¡¯an was flabbergasted, realizing the white cat wasn¡¯t just randomly grabbing but was actually helping him style his hair.


    Using sharp claws like a comb, what kind of cat is this, so intelligent!


    The cat¡¯s eye color was also quite special; she had never seen such a spirited cat in the estates of the big aristocrats in the imperial city. So she mirrored Ave¡¯s actions, cautiously approaching Zhao Cai, gingerly reaching out to her, "Meow meow, meow meow~"


    "Slap!"


    She got the same treatment as Ave, with the cat slapping her hand while grooming Ethan¡¯s hair.


    Ave¡¯s lips curved slightly up, while the golden retriever on her head arched with laughter, fully revealing her mood¡ªthat it wasn¡¯t that she wasn¡¯t liked by cats, but this one raised by Ethan had an eccentric personality, and anyone who wanted to touch her, except Ethan, had to endure a scratch.


    "We happened to mention your stew while discussing work earlier. The Guild President also praised you as the stew king of their place. The hunters really miss your cooking. Sister Bi¡¯an had a sudden idea, and besides, we hadn¡¯t had dinner either, so we came over together... you¡¯re not busy, right?"


    Ave coughed lightly, revealing their intention.


    Sister Bi¡¯an wouldn¡¯t miss any gourmet food; when she was in the military, she would try the local snacks every time she passed through a town.


    "Not at all."


    Ethan promptly replied, "You¡¯re just in time. I was planning to cook. Let¡¯s have stew tonight then!"


    "Thanks." Sister Bi¡¯an looked forward to it, "Even though suddenly dropping by might be rude, but when you think you might die at any moment, you want to taste all the delicious food here quickly. Oh, and I brought you some gifts."


    "What are you blabbering on about now!"


    Ave scolded again, albeit they¡¯re a generation apart, they interact more like friends, and she continued introducing the gift to Ethan, "It¡¯s a firearm from the imperial city that Sister Bi¡¯an bought and is perfect for your self-defense."


    An Imperial Military Industry production line manufactured military firearm, with 25 bullets.


    "You¡¯re too kind."


    Ethan didn¡¯t reject, gladly accepting Sister Bi¡¯an¡¯s gift. Meanwhile, he appropriately expressed concern for the knight boy who hadn¡¯t spoken since entering, "Is he okay?"


    Compared to yesterday, Lance had undergone a considerable change. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He looked as though his life force had been drained away like a flickering candle in the wind, devoid of youthful vigor, with his head hung low as if standing at the door would exhaust any remaining strength he had.


    "Oh, Lance, he¡¯s fine. I merely had him run ten laps around the town, then did 500 sword practice swings. He was also hungry, so I brought him along."


    "I... am... fine, thank... you... for your concern!"


    His tone didn¡¯t sound like he was fine at all, Lance now resembled someone who pulled an all-nighter for a week before final exams, barely making it through the test, only to be dragged for a 3000-meter run suddenly. Not dying on the spot was a miracle in itself.


    Ethan didn¡¯t expect Miss Keroy¡¯s magic potion would find its use so quickly.


    When he brought out the magic potion concocted by Miss Keroy from the kitchen, Ave and Sister Bi¡¯an were both astounded.


    "Revitalizing Potion, though it¡¯s the most basic magic potion, it should help him perk up."


    Ethan voluntarily introduced it to the two, explaining that it was the result of efforts by both Miss Keroy and the cat, its function as the name suggests, aiding the user to refresh their spirits. It¡¯s a type of magic potion that most people don¡¯t need, used by doctors in some clinics to treat certain mental illnesses.


    Its market value was not high, especially in a place like Ximu Town, where it was considered a luxury item with no practical use. Ethan regarded it as an investment for Miss Keroy¡¯s alchemical career.


    Of course, this was the first time Miss Keroy¡¯s craft bore scrutiny from outsiders, and he felt the joy akin to a child growing up. Coupled with the professional habit developed in Fireplace Bay in receiving clients, he elaborated further, "The herbs used to brew the Revitalizing Potion were all picked by Miss Keroy herself from the mountains, all wild-grown without any pollution or harm."


    "Miss Keroy? That hen you mentioned?"


    Sister Bi¡¯an¡¯s shock was more evident, glaring at Ave.


    She hadn¡¯t been to the Empire¡¯s border for a few years, how come all chickens here were concocting magic potions?


    "Uh, she only started learning recently."


    Ave¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t much better; she initially thought Miss Keroy¡¯s interest was fleeting, and after a few failed attempts, she would give up soon. Unexpectedly, just days past, and Miss Keroy presented a seemingly valid product¡ªat least from appearance, the bottled Revitalizing Potion was indistinguishable from those seen in potion shops before.


    Upon hearing her name mentioned, Miss Keroy lazily sauntered over, proudly puffed up seeing people holding her brewed Revitalizing Potion.


    "Bawk!"


    She was confident in her craft, a result of meticulous teaching from Teacher Cat.


    "Lance, give it a try. It¡¯s Miss Keroy¡¯s heartfelt gesture."


    Sister Bi¡¯an urged immediately, "This could be a rare encounter!"


    "Thank... you...!"


    Lance, still worn out, was an honest kid and didn¡¯t doubt Miss Keroy¡¯s craftsmanship, took the Revitalizing Potion, twisted the cap off, and directly chugged it down.


    Ave¡¯s curiosity was stirred, Sister Bi¡¯an wore a look ready for a spectacle, and the joyful atmosphere in Ethan¡¯s apartment briefly pulled them out of the shadow of Nightmare until...


    As Lance swallowed the Revitalizing Potion, he suddenly inhaled sharply.


    He held his breath, seemingly immersed entirely in refreshing pleasure that overwhelmed him.


    Clearly, the Revitalizing Potion had taken effect.


    His fatigue was swept away completely, though...


    It seemed to work a bit too well.


    Lance tightly shut his eyes, with the euphoric sensation persisting for over ten seconds before he emitted a sound akin to "damn," becoming excitedly jittery, like an intoxicated addict.


    The apartment¡¯s atmosphere abruptly dropped to freezing.


    Sister Bi¡¯an and Ave¡¯s gazes simultaneously locked onto Ethan.


    Theirs were the unmistakable looks reserved for criminals.

 Chapter 63: Genius Pharmacist

    Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Genius PharmacistMr. Heisenberg¡¯s career had just begun and he was already facing an unprecedented crisis.


    If equivalent to police ranks, Lady Bi¡¯an, as the Imperial Knight Commander, would be akin to the head of the FBI. She and Ave responded with the most professional reaction immediately, forgetting about the stew at one point and placing the remaining bottles of the awakening potion on the table, resting their chins on their folded hands.


    As for the young Knight Lance, he was too excited and decided to add five more sets of exercises for himself. He was now outside the apartment, practicing sword swings.


    Although there were only two people sitting across the table, Ethan knew there were three judges.


    Bi¡¯an, Ave, and the golden hair on top of Ave¡¯s head.


    Bi¡¯an acted first, holding the bottle neck and using her index finger to open the cap. She carefully sniffed the smell inside the bottle.


    Ethan¡¯s mind was in chaos; this was a crisis even the real Heisenberg had never encountered.


    Wait, this bottle clearly contained the awakening potion. As a good citizen, why was he afraid?


    Moreover, he didn¡¯t understand why these people were acting as if they were high like a bunch of wild evildoers.


    Bi¡¯an closed her eyes, immersed in the aftertaste of the awakening potion. After about half a minute, she completed a near-tasting ritual, picked up the glass bottle, and drank all of the awakening potion in one go.


    "The purity is very high."


    Subsequently, she wiped off the remaining liquid from her mouth, turned to another evaluator, Ave, and gave her assessment, "I¡¯ve never tasted such high purity stuff before."


    "You guys are discussing the awakening potion, right?"


    Ethan had to inquire. Heisenberg was only paying tribute, not really planning to go down the path of a drug maker.


    "What else?"


    Bi¡¯an seemed puzzled, "What else do you want to make?"


    "According to the laws of the Empire, making awakening potions shouldn¡¯t be illegal, right?"


    "Of course."


    Feeling relieved, Ethan couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Why are you guys acting like you¡¯re judging criminals?"


    "That¡¯s because..."


    Honest Ave still maintained her folded hand posture, "I really thought you were making forbidden substances behind my back."


    After spending some time with Ethan, she felt it was possible for him to come up with something abnormal, even if they really produced forbidden substances during the magic potion production process.


    Because, in a strict sense, those addictive forbidden substances are also considered a branch of magic potions, and not all alchemists are good people. In the long era before the concept of "forbidden drugs" was proposed, many evil alchemists controlled the local people through highly addictive magic potions, even nobles and government officials were not spared.


    When Bi¡¯an mentioned the words ¡¯awakening potion¡¯, Ave truly breathed a sigh of relief.


    So, the problem clearly lay with Bi¡¯an and Lance. She questioned Bi¡¯an, "Why are you acting like you¡¯ve ingested forbidden drugs?"


    "Try it yourself, and you¡¯ll know."


    Bi¡¯an did not answer directly. Only facts could answer Ave¡¯s question.


    Driven by strong curiosity, Ave unscrewed the cap and drank the awakening potion in one go. Then she gasped suddenly. Although her expression remained calm, the golden hair on her head spun like a propeller, fast enough to blur.


    "You felt it, didn¡¯t you? The state of magical power being full,"


    Bi¡¯an explained, "Usually, awakening potions can¡¯t replenish energy unless they are of extremely top-notch quality. I know of no more than five alchemists who can make such quality awakening potions... Ethan, are you sure Miss Keroy completed this independently?"


    "I¡¯m sure,"


    Ethan answered immediately.


    He guessed that this was probably a skill of Lucky; the cat not only could find magic books but also possessed a high alchemical talent. But when he thought of her close relationship with the Lindong Witch, everything could be explained.


    However, this couldn¡¯t be spoken lightly. One would be caught as a typical example of an Evil God follower and burned at the stake.


    Over the years, the Horned Owl Beast Daily frequently published the names of Evil God followers, often with black-and-white dynamic illustrations broadcasting the scenes of their being burned alive. Most of them held prestigious identities. If the Judicial Court hadn¡¯t caught them, no one would have guessed this group of people actually worshipped the Evil God.


    Bi¡¯an stared at Miss Keroy for quite a while, suddenly thinking of a possibility, "Could it be... a racial talent?"


    This peculiar creature is known as a wolf chicken, of which there may be only one in the entire Empire. According to Ave, it was Miss Keroy who spontaneously developed an interest in alchemy.


    "Not bad, not bad! Keep it up, and Miss Keroy might one day become the Empire¡¯s foremost alchemist!"


    "I think so too,"


    Ethan echoed, "I always thought Miss Keroy was both intelligent and hardworking."


    Ave watched the bizarre scene unfold before her without saying a word. She felt that the world must be crazy. She raised her hand and forcibly pressed down the spinning golden hair. She could only attribute this unexplainable phenomenon to some unknown curse. Perhaps that werewolf collar still held secrets they had yet to uncover.


    After all, it was a cursed item carried by the witch who destroyed a small town.


    "Mr. Ethan, you have a great responsibility,"


    Bi¡¯an solemnly remarked that the title "chicken raiser" probably had more depth than she initially thought. While Ave depicted Ethan as a person with some cleverness but fundamentally weak, despite having read numerous books on mysticism without grasping a path of transcendence, it now seemed that destiny silently bestowed upon him a mission.


    "Maybe one day Miss Keroy will become the Empire¡¯s greatest alchemist, and when that time comes, you will be the chief alchemist¡¯s assistant." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even this one identity is enough to make Ethan a guest of honor in any city. "You need to keep Miss Keroy well-fed and plump, never letting the future chief alchemist go hungry."


    "Understood,"


    Ave listened to their conversation, her heart numb.


    She didn¡¯t hear wrong. These two were seriously discussing Miss Keroy becoming the Empire¡¯s chief alchemist, emphasizing one who dares to speak and another who dares to believe.


    The golden hair on her head finally stopped and even bowed to Miss Keroy in salutation, evidently agreeing with Bi¡¯an¡¯s bold words.


    "We should be talking about work,"


    Ave thought to steer this untamed topic back on track. She intended to bring up these issues over a stew but didn¡¯t expect Ethan and Miss Keroy to give her such a surprise.


    "But, Lady Bi¡¯an is still hungry."


    "You stew while I speak. After all, this matter somewhat involves you as well,"


    She had to temporarily accept the fact that Miss Keroy was actually a genius alchemist since there were more pressing issues to address. "Before coming here, we made a trip to the Guild. This morning, the Guild received a strange piece of information¡ªa trade caravan passing through Riverside Town noticed signs of biological activity there."

 Chapter 64: Never Abandon, Never Give Up

    Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Never Abandon, Never Give UpWho in their right mind would live in a town where a tragedy occurred not long ago?


    Clearly, that merchant caravan thought the same way. After noticing something amiss, no one dared to go to Riverside Town to find out more. They sped up their journey, and only upon reaching Ximu Town did they relax their strained nerves; the Hunters responsible for escorting the caravan were still shaken, preferring to stay in the Guild¡¯s bustling lobby, unwilling to leave.


    The smell of stew made their mouths water, while the horrific atmosphere silently spread.


    Both Miss Keroy and Miss Zhao Cai were very straightforward individuals; they ate the stew ravenously while eagerly listening to Ave¡¯s account.


    "The caravan guards had three distinctly different descriptions of the creatures lurking in the town. Some claimed to have seen a hazy, translucent figure, others believed they were bandits planning to loot the town amidst chaos, while one person asserted they witnessed a creature crawling on all fours, with an exposed upper body, skin split open revealing bones."


    Ave narrated her interview results while flipping to a certain page in the "Curses and Containment Object Terminology Reference Table."


    Designated as ¡¯SI-0051,¡¯ the Reception Bureau named these twisted creatures ¡¯Assemblers.¡¯


    The manual described the monster as resembling a spider sprawled on the ground, its body composed of various human organs, even its face stitched together from multiple faces.


    Investigators first sighted the Assembler following an Evil God worship case when a family of five was slaughtered at home. Two investigators encountered the Assembler in an apartment that night; its body comprised tissues from the five deceased victims. The assault resulted in one death and one critical injury. According to the recollections of the severely wounded investigator, they were entirely unaware of the Assembler¡¯s approach; it appeared almost instantaneously near them and launched the attack.


    Assemblers are deemed extremely dangerous creatures that always appear after Evil God worship rituals, possessing intense life force and low-level self-healing abilities. All known forms of Magic and firearms may injure it, and the manual advises C-level and lower containment personnel to retreat immediately if confronted with an Assembler.


    "The caravan guards accurately described all the characteristics of the Assembler, even though none had previously visited any site related to Evil God sacrifices."


    Ave deemed this the most likely outcome; after all, Riverside Town had undergone an unprecedented Evil God worship just days earlier.


    When Baron Gledin¡¯s coalition force and Hunters arrived, they only cleared the bodies in the town; nobody wished to linger longer in the town. The tragedy in Riverside Town had been reported to Gear City¡¯s branch, but the death toll and follow-up tasks far exceeded regular investigative work, causing a stall in further handling of Riverside Town¡¯s aftermath.


    "If the followers of the slumbering Evil God are hidden along the Empire¡¯s border, Riverside Town is most likely their hideout."


    Ave continued her analysis, pointing to the appearance of the Assembler, aptly confirming her speculation. "Some investigators believe Assemblers are dark creatures created by the Evil God Bajatous using the souls of sacrificed ones, and those Evil God¡¯s Followers are highly likely to have mastered some means to command Assemblers."


    The satisfied cat yawned and lazily curled up on Ethan¡¯s lap, its lovely red eyes squinted to a tiny slit.


    Miss Keroy listened intently, seemingly prepared for a confrontation with the Assembler.


    Ave didn¡¯t continue further.


    Once she pieced everything together, the situation just stagnated. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If members of the Dream Eclipse really hid in Riverside Town, then per the Reception Bureau¡¯s procedure, the safest method is to dispatch several intelligence personnel first to the town to gather information; even if they unfortunately fall, at least it¡¯ll aid the Reception Bureau in assessing risks.


    From a macro-logical standpoint, this is the safest approach, minimizing sacrifices while effectively avoiding catastrophic annihilation.


    The sole issue is that this method costs lower-level investigators, which is why frontline investigator mortality rates have remained high for the Reception Bureau in recent years.


    Gear City branch¡¯s opinion is to maximize the ¡¯Chicken Farmer¡¯s value; after all, his remarks seem like padding, akin to a naturally blessed junior intelligence officer. If he could bring back beneficial intelligence for the Investigation Bureau, it would be a significant gain.


    Ave instantly crumpled the branch¡¯s suggestion into a ball and tossed it into the trash bin.


    Ethan, being a strong candidate for her future assistant, certainly couldn¡¯t be used as expendable asset; even if it meant using the branch chief to fill the gap, Ethan wouldn¡¯t be considered.


    But, the problem must be faced.


    The news brought back by the caravan counts as a breakthrough, and someone has to go to Riverside Town to investigate.


    "Since the caravan brought back the news, the atmosphere in the Guild has been tense. I registered a commission in the Guild Hall, but there were no takers."


    Ave sighed; the Hunters are sharp, after all. Even if the reward was high, you need to be alive to enjoy it, right?


    Riverside Town faced one of the rare tragedies in the Empire in recent years; if it weren¡¯t for Baron Gledin deploying his Guard Corps and personally leading them, the Hunters wouldn¡¯t have dared to go to Riverside Town. Among them, many didn¡¯t understand the situation, responding impetuously in the heat of the moment.


    Witnessing the grisly scene firsthand, many burly men almost vomited their guts out, leading several Hunters to depart from Ximu Town, hiding in Gear City to avoid trouble.


    "In other words, today¡¯s meeting theme is to choose a volunteer to go to Riverside Town."


    Previously, Ethan would have undoubtedly been reluctant, but after learning about the Elemental Ascension Theory, he urgently needed a place for in-depth research.


    He couldn¡¯t wait to discuss Fireball Skill¡¯s Ascension Theory with his dear bro, the Assembler.


    Feigned hesitation, "Though it¡¯s a difficult decision, only I¡ª"


    "There¡¯s nothing hard about it."


    Sister Bi¡¯an, who had been eating quietly, suddenly spoke up. Taking advantage of everyone listening to Ave¡¯s Guild insights, she teamed up silently with Miss Keroy to finish the stew pot entirely, leaving no broth.


    With greasy lips, she licked them contentedly, waving one large hand, "Such situations often occurred in prior expeditions: sacrificing the least for the greatest outcome? No, that¡¯s not my style. If we¡¯re going, we¡¯re going together! I won¡¯t let anyone die in vain!"


    Then, she gave Ethan an encouraging glance, "Even if confronted by Evil God¡¯s Followers, I will ensure we escape!"


    This initially cozy and inspiring scene left Ethan feeling cold inside.


    Can¡¯t you focus on eating your stew!


    Why stir up trouble!


    Who knew this whole pot of stew couldn¡¯t keep Sister Bi¡¯an¡¯s mouth shut.


    His dear bro, the Assembler, was still waiting in the town for him!


    Ethan quickly turned to Ave, this matter was critical, and only a follower of the God of Truth could utter fair words.


    "Sister Bi¡¯an is right."


    Ave nodded profoundly, returning Ethan a similar encouraging eye, "Only through joint effort can hope arise. Rest assured Ethan, we won¡¯t abandon you."


    Ethan¡¯s vision dimmed.


    You should return to Enlightenment Society for rebirth!

 Chapter 65: The Superstar Heisenberg

    Chapter 65: Chapter 65: The Superstar HeisenbergThis is an era of cold hearts, yet Ave and Biran have displayed unprecedented team spirit. Here, Ethan must criticize Ave; he seriously suspects that this girl has recently forgotten her identity as a disciple of the God of Truth.


    Shouldn¡¯t a true disciple of the God of Truth disregard all personal feelings, using subordinates as expendable resources without a shred of emotion on their face?


    Also, what¡¯s up with the golden tuft on Ave¡¯s head, with a pose that says "You¡¯ve got this, it¡¯s on us"? You¡¯re just a tuft of silly hair, how can you bear the weight of someone else¡¯s life?


    "It¡¯s decided then; before we set off, we still need further intelligence."


    Ave ended the discussion with a decisive tone, "Ethan, come with me to Mugram¡¯s shop, and Keroy, bring all the awakening potions you have; they might be surprisingly effective."


    With the matter settled, Ethan had no room to argue and could only wish his brothers-in-arms good luck.


    He hoped his good brothers would be cautious of Biran¡ªnot to be fooled by her delicate frame, as she was actually one of the few in the Empire who could pack a punch.


    Ethan went back to his room to change into a suit, choosing the skin he named "Ximu Town Yanzu," and followed Ave once again on the road to Fireplace Bay. However, compared to the first time, he was now quite acquainted with the journey.


    Back on the deck of the merchant ship, Ave immediately sensed something was off. Within less than a hundred meters, he heard the name "Heisenberg" at least seven times, mostly discussed by people dressed as hunters and mercenaries. As he passed by the Magic Scroll Shop, it was crowded with people, with a bulky giant arguing heatedly with the shop owner.


    The onlookers were also indignant, blocking the guards outside.


    Ave went closer to listen; the bulky giant, wearing a metal helmet, was cursing at the counter, "What kind of Ice Arrows are these that you sell? They can¡¯t even kill a few ogres! Look at my head carefully; it¡¯s your fake and shoddy scrolls that got my head bashed in by an ogre¡¯s club!"


    While it was a serious and distressing matter, some in the crowd couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    When the giant yanked off his helmet, people saw that the top of his head looked like a dented can; the hunters could imagine the unfortunate fellow¡¯s head being bashed by an ogre¡¯s wooden club.


    Ave stayed to listen for a bit and understood the general situation.


    The incident originated the previous night when several individuals claiming to be staff from Old Sen Magic Scroll Shop were handing out twenty or so free Ice Arrow scrolls on the deck. The first hunters to receive them were astonished to find these things way more useful than guns and crossbow arrows. After completing their tasks, they rushed back to Fireplace Bay, searching eagerly for information about Old Sen Magic Scroll Shop.


    Seizing the opportunity, the owner of the Mage¡¯s Magic Scroll Shop, with seven years of sales experience, put up a sign at the store entrance saying "Make Elemental Magic Great Again!" He boasted that the shop¡¯s elemental magic scrolls were all crafted by academy mentors and far superior to those from unknown wild mages.


    Many hunters were convinced and emptied the store of its basic elemental magic scrolls.


    Then, that night, the afflicted hunters and mercenaries stormed the Magic Scroll Shop. Even the guards found it difficult to intervene since it wasn¡¯t merely causing trouble; there were numerous people accusing the shop owner of selling counterfeit products.


    This is quite a serious accusation in Fireplace Bay; once verified, the shop owner would not only have to pay hefty compensation but also be forced to close the shop for rectification.


    Amidst the furious condemnation from hunters and mercenaries, the shop owner was on the verge of tears.


    Unperturbed by the tense atmosphere, Ave was confused and patted Ethan¡¯s shoulder, confirming with uncertainty, "They¡¯re talking about the Ice Arrow scroll, right?"


    "Yeah."


    "And it was definitely an ogre that bashed his head with a wooden club, right?"


    "Yes, that¡¯s correct."


    "Whose Ice Arrow scroll can hurt an ogre? This is clearly extortion, isn¡¯t it?"


    This overly heated situation left Ave feeling insecure. As someone born and raised in the imperial capital, everyone knew about ogres¡ªhumanoid creatures living deep in the snowy mountains of the northern empire. Adult ogres stand nearly five meters tall, with thick skin that arrows and bullets can hardly penetrate.


    These creatures can wield weapons, usually clubs two meters long, and can throw boulders for long-range attacks. Several years ago, a group of ogres even launched an assault on the imperial capital, and it took an elite Knight Order to completely eradicate them.


    As a result, when capital children cried or refused to sleep, adults would often scare them with tales of ogres.


    "Naughty children will be caught and eaten by ogres."


    Any capital kid who hasn¡¯t heard this saying is doomed to have an incomplete childhood.


    How could the Ice Arrow, the most basic form of Elemental Magic, ever harm an ogre?


    "Old Sen¡¯s Ice Arrow can," Ethan said seriously. He needed to thank Mr. Ogre for rapidly increasing his Ice Arrow proficiency, realizing Ave¡¯s doubtful look; he added, "that¡¯s what the hunters and mercenaries say¡ªat least they believe Old Sen¡¯s Ice Arrow can harm ogres."


    "That Magic Scroll Shop is indeed remarkable."


    Someone overheard Ave and Ethan¡¯s conversation and actively joined in.


    His withered, tree-like skin made him stand out in the crowd. Old Mu leisurely strolled over, saying, "The staff from that shop also came to me and left three magic scrolls. I handed them to some C-level investigators on field duty, and they managed to kill an ultra-hazardous containment object using them."


    With Old Mu¡¯s endorsement, Ave believed it a bit more and further inquired, "Where is that Elemental Shaper called Heisenberg now?"


    The sudden appearance of a mysterious Elemental Shaper, paired with unusually potent ice magic, set her radar off. She added, "Is he male or female?"


    "Male, does that matter?"


    Old Mu was slightly puzzled, yet upon hearing Heisenberg¡¯s gender, he noticed Ave¡¯s visible disappointment.


    What¡¯s with this lady and gender discrimination!


    What¡¯s wrong with a male Elemental Shaper?


    The sea breeze on the deck made him feel cold in his limbs, defensively speaking for Heisenberg (male), "Don¡¯t underestimate Heisenberg. He¡¯s the hottest new star in Fireplace Bay right now; those looking for him could line up and fill the entire port! It¡¯s said he offers high-end personalized services to clients; what did the ad say? Oh, yeah, a ¡¯kick-ass custom service!¡¯


    At this point, Old Mu shrugged, "It¡¯s just a pity that no one can find him right now. You guys don¡¯t seem to be short on cash. If by any chance you meet Heisenberg, you must order a few magic scrolls from him¡ªabsolutely kick-ass!"


    In fact, Old Mu felt that the Mage¡¯s Scroll Shop¡¯s sign might not have been entirely wrong; recent events made him have a hunch.


    The era of elemental magic is dawning once again! Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 66: Polluted Zone

    Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Polluted ZoneAs the three left the Mage¡¯s Magic Scroll Shop, the desperate shopkeeper was being escorted by guards away from the crowd, accused of selling counterfeit and shoddy products that resulted in serious injuries. The hunter who had been struck with a big foot monster and whose head was flattened became the best evidence, and the shopkeeper would soon face scrutiny by the Fireplace Bay Supervision Council for his alleged crime.


    Old Mugram was a talkative Tree-man; seeing Ave¡¯s interest in Heisenberg, he eagerly recounted Heisenberg¡¯s illustrious achievements.


    They wandered beneath the masts, bathed in the warm glow of the lights, with the boundless Black Sea in the distance, as if at the horizon lay the origin of Heisenberg¡¯s legend.


    This is a story titled "Heisenberg and the Magic Book."


    In the story, Heisenberg¡¯s background is completed; he was once a respected Elemental Shaper at the academy, young yet already a teacher of Elemental Magic Defense. And when a rare white-haired Northern Clan girl with red eyes became his student, the gears of destiny began to turn.


    "So, Heisenberg is actually... that person¡¯s teacher?"


    Ave immediately took it very seriously.


    Ethan couldn¡¯t hold back after hearing the beginning; though rampant rumors helped him hide his identity and misled people, now the Tree-man was spreading chaos. Discovering the Lindong Witch was alive, he knew if the witch herself heard, she would make him write "Respect for teachers is essential" a hundred times on parchment.


    Yet the story got even more exaggerated.


    The white-haired girl, enamored with the intellectual and humorous Heisenberg, often found him under the pretense of discussing Elemental Magic. Soon, Heisenberg discovered the girl¡¯s amazing magical talent, especially her proficiency in ice Elemental Magic.


    Over time, Heisenberg also developed strange emotions for his student, but they did not originate from love, rather a sort of... fervor. Heisenberg clearly understood that with proper cultivation, this extraordinarily talented student could become one of the greatest Elemental Shapers in history.


    "Hold on a minute!"


    This time even Ave noticed something was off. "Where did you hear this story from? Heisenberg is that girl¡¯s teacher? She even had a crush on Heisenberg?"


    There might not be a more absurd story in the world.


    Ethan completely agreed, supporting Ave¡¯s vehement rebuke; if this rumor spread, rewriting respect for teachers a hundred times wouldn¡¯t resolve it.


    "As I mentioned earlier, this is from the story ¡¯Heisenberg and the Magic Book,¡¯ in which Heisenberg eventually steals forbidden magic books from the Grand Library to guide the white-haired girl in her cultivation, teaching her dangerous knowledge from the books. Incidentally, I¡¯ve already devised the title for the sequel; what do you think of ¡¯Heisenberg and the Chamber¡¯?"


    "Not good."


    Ave pulled down her face, but it was completely obscured by the vortex mask.


    Disappointed, she fiercely glared at Mugram¡¯s back, imagining bursting the Tree-man¡¯s head like the flattened hunter!


    They returned to Mugram¡¯s shop, which remained quiet with business from only a few investigators from the Reception Bureau using its odd tools.


    Old Mugram had long become accustomed to such a life; when there were no customers, he lit a gas lamp at the counter and picked up a quill pen, writing furiously.


    Now there lay an unfinished parchment book with somewhat messy handwriting, creating an atmospheric impression.


    "You all know, my dream has always been to become a writer."


    Mugram had attempted creative writing numerous times, most of which went unnoticed. But this time, he firmly believed that Heisenberg¡¯s story might become Fireplace Bay¡¯s bestseller!


    "No, we didn¡¯t know at all, and we aren¡¯t interested."


    Ave no longer wanted to hear his nonsense and spoke firmly, "We want to see materials related to the Pollution Zone."


    "Pollution Zone?"


    Mugram immediately became alert, "What do you need this information for?"


    "Our current case is likely related to the Pollution Zone."


    Ave had first heard of the Pollution Zone concept while studying at the Enlightenment Society; it was an elective course exploring the world¡¯s anomaly spaces. The professor was a former Reception Bureau Class A investigator who mentioned the Pollution Zone was the most common type of anomaly space, often occurring after large-scale Evil God sacrificial ceremonies.


    Each year, the Reception Bureau dispatches personnel to investigate Pollution Zones. Some scholars believe these anomalies, impossible to explain logically, have a direct connection with divine spirits that vanished from ancient times. However, investigations by the Reception Bureau are elusive, as zones within Pollution Zones distort space and come with deadly environments and many dark creatures unrecorded in manuals.


    "All exploration related to the Pollution Zone was halted three years ago¡ªthe same year as the previous director¡¯s death. Afterward, the new director issued orders for strict control over all related books; if you wish to access such materials, you must go to the headquarters and personally apply to the director."


    "Halted, why?"


    "Because some believe that the containment breach breakout in the imperial capital was caused by the Pollution Zone; the deeper one delves in, the easier it is to lose sanity."


    The conversation reached an impasse.


    Ave furrowed her brow; this Reception Bureau¡¯s mystery was far more complex than she had imagined. She increasingly sensed the containment breach from three years ago as a temporal anchor, marking many subsequent changes. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some were hunting surviving Class A investigators, yet despite going over the archives ten times, she found no clues.


    Now, the near total prohibition of Pollution Zone investigations reeked of suspicion everywhere.


    "But, you who believe in the God of Truth, I¡¯ve seen many investigators like you."


    Mugram suddenly spoke up, "Even if the application is rejected, eventually, investigators might delve headlong into the Data Zone, completely ignorant of it and vanishing without a trace, just like Director Yakwell."


    Ave immediately recalled this name.


    The founder of the Reception Bureau, the first director, also her grandfather¡¯s friend, his last trace was losing contact over a case.


    Later directors continuously sought Yakwell¡¯s whereabouts, yet until their various departures, the investigation yielded no progress. Nobles believed Yakwell died and privately held mourning ceremonies for him.


    "So, I left this behind."


    Mugram bent down and opened a drawer under the counter, incessantly rummaging through thick parchment books. After about a minute, among numerous similar-covered books, he finally found this copy titled "Light Messenger Yakwell."


    "Strictly speaking, it¡¯s a novel I created. Its content is entirely fictional, yet possibly... contains some usable information for you, for back then I researched quite a bit to write it."


    (To report on this book¡¯s current situation, it¡¯s the best pre-release pursuit among Lao Tao¡¯s books overall, thanks to all supporting readers! Having now exited the new book list, broadly Lao Tao entered the overall new book top ten for the first time, also gaining second new strong and small trumpet recommendations. After today¡¯s discussion with the editor, the scheduled release is early morning next Tuesday, as promised before, if the first subscription exceeds 3000, the first month of release will maintain a five-Chapter update speed daily; thanks again everyone!)

 Chapter 67: Depth 3

    Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Depth 3One major advantage of being a Reception Bureau investigator is the ability to work from home. Ethan and Ave returned to the apartment with a stack of thick documents, and his living room was repurposed as a temporary office space.


    Another night of working overtime, even the Imperial Knight Commander was kept up by her. She once again retrieved the dossiers sent from Gear City, sifting through the details with the other side, hoping to uncover some inside information from her mouth.


    Young Lance was thereby conscripted as Ethan¡¯s assistant.


    Thus, the entire apartment was divided into three working spaces: Ethan and Lance in the study extracting information related to the pollution zone from "Light Messenger Yakwell," Ave and the other side in heated discussion of the case in the living room, and in the kitchen, Miss Keroy was being guided by Zhaocai in brewing the magic potion.


    Before setting out for Riverside Town, they had to prepare thoroughly, and one significant effect of the awakening potion was to make the sleepless full of energy.


    Of course, prolonged use of the magic potion comes with varying degrees of side effects. Fatigue doesn¡¯t entirely disappear; instead, it doubles down on the user after the effects wear off. For instance, at the moment, Lance¡¯s hand was trembling while flipping through books, and Ethan wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he suddenly collapsed the next moment.


    Concerned for Lance¡¯s safety, Ethan said, "Why don¡¯t you go and get some sleep first? I¡¯ll handle this here."


    "I... I can hold on! The Knight Commander said..."


    "Thud¡ª!"


    Before he finished speaking, Lance¡¯s body, completely exhausted, slumped over the books. According to Ethan¡¯s observation, Lance was an honest and sincere young man, embodying the old-school knight spirit. Though to Ethan, this wasn¡¯t particularly a commendation. The old-school knight spirit represented stubbornness; even if Lance was on the verge of exhaustion, as long as he could keep his eyes open, he would diligently carry out orders from his superiors.


    However, within the Kingdom Army, he would become an excellent soldier; the Empire¡¯s territories were initially secured by these fearless old-school knights.


    Ethan was well aware that Lance wouldn¡¯t heed his suggestions, so he could only delegate the task to an Elemental Elf, using the modern hypnotic technique of pressing Lance¡¯s head onto the desk, helping Lance achieve a baby-like slumber.


    Afterward, Ethan could finally immerse himself undistracted in the novel "Light Messenger Yakwell."


    For someone who lived through an era of information explosion, understanding the abstract concepts in the novel wasn¡¯t difficult. He took out paper and a feather pen, reading and simultaneously jotting down what he considered crucial information.


    Simply put, the pollution zone first proposed by Yakwell is conceptually somewhat similar to the inside world, only with many more layers. The book refers to this stratification as "depth" and posits that almost all containment items starting with the "SI" series have escaped from the pollution zone.


    Yakwell prefers to believe the anomalous space of the pollution zone originally exists; many known cursed objects in the Reception Bureau are used as anchors to open pollution zones. The book repeatedly emphasizes the significance of these anchors, which determine whether investigators can safely "cut out" of the zone after delving deeper.


    It is currently confirmed that when non-believers of the Evil God penetrate the pollution zone, their mental state inevitably gets affected. In severe cases, they hear incomprehensible whispers from unknown origins and witness bizarre objects invisible to ordinary people.


    They become exceedingly aggressive, sometimes even mistakenly viewing allies as enemies and launching attacks on them.


    Once tainted mentally, if they cannot "cut out" of the pollution zone quickly, they fall into madness.


    Even Yakwell himself did not know exactly how many layers of depth the pollution zone had. The most profound investigator only reached the third layer, where the pollution zone showed no resemblance to its original form. Yakwell documented rivers turned to blood, filled with tentacles and eyes. Trees moved, covered with human and beast faces, their branches ensnaring approachers¡¯ necks like ropes. The victim¡¯s face would become a new collection, and the sky was entirely obscured by blood-red mist, behind which he always felt a gigantic organism beyond his imagination watching over them all.


    During that investigation, Yakwell¡¯s mental state was severely compromised, unable to discern whether those terrifying and grotesque presences were hallucinations or reality.


    However, he clearly mentioned that once the "cut in" depth reached level three, any Transcendent¡¯s faith in the Divine Spirit would be diminished until they completely lost their power, becoming prey for the anomalies.


    In that exploration, only Yakwell returned to the real world, while the other seven A-class investigators all became the sustenance for those unknown monsters.


    Ethan couldn¡¯t judge whether Old Mu¡¯s assessment of Yakwell was objective. In the book, he remarked that though Yakwell¡¯s physical body returned to reality, his spirit had long collapsed within depth level 3, unknowingly branded with the mark of the Evil God Bazatous.


    The best proof was that only a few days after Yakwell had begun rehabilitation treatment, he once again ignored opposition from the bureau and entered the pollution zone alone.


    He never managed to return to the real world, and no one knew whether Yakwell reached a layer deeper than depth 3.


    Contrary to the title, "Light Messenger Yakwell" does not glorify this former Neseriel Holy Hall Knight¡¯s heroism but showcases a passionate, ultimately broken soul tormented to collapse by the Evil God Bazatous.


    Ethan felt that the book being overlooked was fortunate for Old Mu; otherwise, Mr. Tree-man might be invited for tea by the Judicial Court due to ambiguous political stances or outright chopped down for firewood.


    Ethan steadied himself and transcribed Yakwell¡¯s description of depth 3, marking with underlines under significant statements.


    The most concerning take-away was that in depth 3, Transcendents¡¯ faith in the Divine Spirit would be severed, practically reducing them to ordinary people. However, within the pollution zone, the followers of the Evil God Bazatous were unaffected. Their powers could even be enhanced to varying degrees.


    Before that mission, Yakwell and the elite team composed of A-grade investigators made thorough preparations as they saw fit, yet nearly faced complete annihilation due to this characteristic.


    "Anti-magic" is as much an archenemy to Transcendents.


    Just as Elemental Shapers and magicians require magic power to execute spells, every known Transcendent path possesses its unique energy, derived from their connection with the Divine Spirit. Once this connection is severed, they become ordinary humans.


    Thus, Ethan thought of a way to eliminate the Imperial Knight Commander with little effort.


    If he were an Evil God¡¯s follower, he would spare no means to lure the other side into depth 3, laying traps there. In doing so, no matter how experienced the other side was in combat, escape would be impossible.


    At this thought, he immediately thought of Miss Becky.


    Could the large-scale sacrifice occurring in Riverside Town merely be a witch¡¯s revenge?


    Did she just coincidentally "awaken" at this sensitive moment?


    Ethan furrowed his brow, repeatedly scrutinizing the contents of his notes. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Miss Becky, what exactly is your goal?

 Chapter 68: The Charge

    Chapter 68: Chapter 68: The ChargeEthan¡¯s thoughts returned to several days ago, on the night the red moon rose. He later learned it was a celestial phenomenon triggered by the sacrificial ritual in Riverside Town. While he practiced the Fireball Skill under the gas lamp, the residents of Riverside Town were dying in agony and despair due to the curse in the water supply.


    However, as time went on, he realized the situation might be far more complicated than he had imagined.


    The contaminated zone is a special space, so unique that just by properly utilizing its rules, even an ordinary follower of the Evil God could potentially kill the Empire¡¯s Knight Commander.


    The book "Light Messenger Yakwell" mentions that Yakwell and those investigators who died in the deep level 3 were four-tier Transcendents from different paths. They were seen as standing at the very top of existence in people¡¯s eyes.


    And the Empire¡¯s Knight Commander, Lady Bi¡¯an, also stopped at the fourth tier and couldn¡¯t step into the realm of the Saint.


    Therefore, Ethan reasonably suspected the witch possessing Miss Becky aimed to create the contaminated zone through the sacrificial ritual to ultimately eliminate the Empire¡¯s Knight Commander. She "awakened" at such a delicate time because someone had resurrected her.


    The witch was a follower of Evil God Bajatos, dating back to Baron Gledin¡¯s grandfather¡¯s era, coincidentally, the same time Yakwell proposed the concept of the contaminated zone. Perhaps the person "resurrecting" the witch needed the knowledge in her mind, and in exchange, they would assist the witch in completing her revenge. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking carefully, his encounter with Miss Becky in the storm was because of the collar on Miss Keroy¡¯s neck.


    The witch came to retrieve the collar, which seemed to hold extraordinary significance for her.


    If the werewolf collar were indeed the anchor point mentioned in the book, everything could be explained.


    But as Ethan mentioned last time, this matter is exceedingly complicated; those who investigate it are doomed.


    His current actions are equivalent to courting death.


    He started to reorganize the threads of the matter, writing down all the logical relationships he could think of on paper. The entire purpose was to eliminate Lady Bi¡¯an, the "nuisance" in everyone¡¯s eyes.


    The reason for the Empire summoning the Expeditionary Army was the detection of the Dream Eclipse members¡¯ tracks at the border.


    Their track was discovered because they murdered a former A-grade investigator at Fireplace Bay.


    While organizing documents in recent days, Ethan always felt that the logical connection between these two matters was very weak. He was a frequent visitor to Fireplace Bay and understood the workings of teleportation magic, unable to comprehend how the Empire¡¯s intelligence personnel could deduce the killer¡¯s exact teleportation location from a single teleportation.


    Until he read "Light Messenger Yakwell," he suddenly had a terrifying suspicion.


    Within the Empire¡¯s high ranks wishing to kill Lady Bi¡¯an, there were those closely linked to an Evil God¡¯s follower organization, possibly even a cooperative relationship.


    They provided Dream Eclipse with the whereabouts of former Reception Bureau investigators, and in return, these followers supplied them with pertinent intelligence, even helping remove certain obstacles the Empire¡¯s higher-ups couldn¡¯t directly handle.


    This news was immensely troubling for Ximu Town, as based on his knowledge of Evil God¡¯s followers over the years, once they eliminated the Knight Commander, they would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to demand more, such as sacrificing the entire population of Ximu Town to Evil God Bajatos.


    This is how cultists gather power; the more they sacrifice, the tighter their connection to the Evil God.


    Although Miss Becky has left them forever, the mastermind behind reviving the witch possessing her remains somewhere, silently watching them. Even the information about the assembler brought back by the caravan was deliberately planned. They were well aware that the Expeditionary Army would definitely investigate Riverside Town upon receiving the intelligence, thus step by step falling into their trap.


    No escape route indeed.


    Ethan contemplated the worst possibilities and suspected Ave might have also become a target, likely already on the list for silencing.


    With her habit of pursuing the root of every matter, it¡¯s hard not to get silenced for "knowing too much" these days. Her request for case files from the Gear City sub-bureau was recorded, and those people would find it out easily.


    They dare to frame even the Empire¡¯s Knight Commander, what significance does a runaway noble lady hold?


    Moreover, they could completely pin this on Evil God¡¯s followers.


    Ave unfortunately met her end while investigating a case involving Evil God¡¯s followers; such incidents happen every day, long since becoming commonplace.


    By the time Ethan brought out the organized contaminated zone intelligence from the study, it was already late at night. Ave and Lady Bi¡¯an sat side by side on the sofa, with Lady Bi¡¯an just discussing the "witness protection program," something she had heard through the grapevine.


    Lady Bi¡¯an: "After the containment breach outbreak, the remaining A-grade investigators all requested transfer citing unstable mental states. It was originally a normal job arrangement, but later even the Judicial Court intervened, destroying some work records and their subsequent whereabouts."


    These two departments have no direct connection to the Kingdom Army, and Lady Bi¡¯an just listened for entertainment.


    Ave sharply captured important clues, immediately asking, "Why does the Judicial Court keep their whereabouts hidden?"


    "Because someone keeps pestering about it."


    "Who?"


    "The person you know," Lady Bi¡¯an said, "She was one of the Seven Council members at the time, possessing considerable authority. The aftermath arrangement by the Bureau was put to a vote, but apart from her, no one wished to continue investigating, so the proposal naturally didn¡¯t pass. It caused quite an unpleasant situation with the Judicial Court."


    "And then?"


    "I heard she kept investigating the containment breach. After the new chief issued a ban, she privately entered several times¡ªthis was discovered through investigation. Heaven knows how many times she actually entered, prompting the Pope to personally warn her, but you know the final outcome."


    The two fell into silence, reflecting on the Empire¡¯s darkest days.


    A year after the containment breach incident, the Fell War broke out; the Pope¡¯s fears came true. Due to the Lindong Witch¡¯s frequent entries into the contaminated zone, she inevitably succumbed to the Evil God¡¯s corruption, turning into a follower.


    At least, that¡¯s how the Empire¡¯s documented history records it.


    Then came the well-known Imperial Capital Battle, a conflict involving several Saints¡ªunseen on the continent for nearly a hundred years.


    The King was severely injured, the witch died, and since then, the Empire has been in decline, plunging into internal and external troubles.


    "Why not let her continue investigating?"


    After a long pause, Ave finally asked in a muffled voice.


    "The connections involved are far too complex; it¡¯s impossible to just let her keep investigating, what if she really discovers something?" Lady Bi¡¯an chuckled, "Don¡¯t forget, the charges against her are worshipping the Evil God and murdering Empire officials¡ªthis is a label no one can bear, not even the Saints."

 Chapter 69: Shackles

    Chapter 69: Chapter 69: ShacklesEthan once again exceeded expectations for his mission. Not only did he extract crucial information about the pollution zone from the novel titled "Light Messenger Yakwell," but he also deduced an assassination plot targeting the Imperial Knight Commander.


    Ave initially thought he was just talking nonsense, but after carefully reading the level 3 assessment report, her expression immediately turned serious.


    "I heard my predecessors mention this when I first joined the Knight Camp."


    Bian confirmed the authenticity of the novel¡¯s plot, "Yakwell was once an officer in the Kingdom Army, a glorious Tier Four Knight. I heard he suffered severe injuries during an operation with the Reception Bureau, and his mind became unstable... Are you saying they plan to lure me into this area and kill me when I lose my strength?"


    Her tone sounded very calm, as if discussing something unrelated.


    Ethan: "This is the most likely scenario."


    Bian nodded and suddenly calmly turned to Ave, "Then I¡¯ll leave the matters after to you. My subordinates will soon arrive at Ximu Town. They are brothers who once went through life and death with me. If war breaks out later, they should be able to maintain the peace of this small town. Let them stay here, don¡¯t return to the imperial capital."


    "I told you not to joke about such ominous things!"


    Ave slammed her palm on the table, her golden hair forming an "X" shape on top of her head.


    "This might not be a joke."


    The one to respond was Ethan. Bian¡¯s overly calm attitude towards death made him even more certain of his thoughts, "Perhaps the Knight Commander is seriously entrusting her final affairs to you."


    By leaving the Knight Order at the Empire¡¯s borders and not returning to the imperial capital, it is known that if they return, they will face persecution.


    He learned at Fireplace Bay that currently both factions in the imperial capital want the Knight Commander to die in the border town. Now it seems that even Bian vaguely understands their intentions.


    But come to think of it, before she was appointed Knight Commander by the King, she had followed the army on numerous expeditions. How could she not understand what this expedition meant?


    Yet even so, she still came to Ximu Town and calmly prepared to die here.


    Perhaps keeping her brothers away from the imperial capital is the only way to keep them away from persecution, and that bit of hope was for the nobles of the imperial capital to let this Knight Order reside in a border town far from the center of power.


    Hearing this, Bian just smiled, implicitly admitting.


    "Knight Commander, I have a hypothesis. May I speak?"


    "Speak!"


    The one speaking was Ave, and she was eager.


    "Let¡¯s assume you knew before setting off that this was an expedition with no return. Why would someone like you from the Council of Seven willingly fall into a trap?"


    For a High-tier Knight of the Neseriel Sanctuary, who had achieved great military merits, such a death was too humiliating. It wasn¡¯t an enemy that would kill her but the Empire she had once defended tirelessly.


    Hearing the commotion from the living room, Zhaocai came out of the kitchen, stood at the door, and watched Ethan from afar with a peculiar look in his eyes.


    After reading the story of "Light Messenger Yakwell," Ethan vaguely grasped the answer to the puzzle.


    Bian, no longer frivolous, after a moment of tranquility, showed quite a demeanor of an Imperial Knight Commander. She softly asked, "May I hear more?"


    "Because the information about the Evil God Fanatics appearing in the border city is true, and they will indeed greatly affect the Empire¡¯s security. As long as these two remain unchanged, being an Imperial Knight Commander, you cannot defy your duty, even if you know this is likely a conspiracy. No, using foresight would be more accurate."


    "Why, if it¡¯s¡ª"


    Ave instinctively wanted to refute, but then suddenly realized, exclaiming, "... a broken vow!"


    Once a knight breaks their vow, the great Master of Knights would take away their power.


    And the Knight Commander is the Empire¡¯s sword, defending the peace of the Empire is their vow.


    Even knowing it¡¯s a battle with no return, they remain undaunted ¡ª the honorable tradition passed down since the first King. In fact, the Empire¡¯s territory is built upon the bones of countless knights, and during the Empire¡¯s most glorious era, numerous tales circulated widely among the populace.


    Ethan stripped away those beautiful packages, glimpsing the essence of the vow.


    For the knights of the Neseriel Sanctuary, it is a unilateral shackle tied around each neck, willingly put on the moment they joined the Kingdom Army, swearing allegiance to the Empire, a shackle personally created by the first King.


    The Empire¡¯s sword must never point to the Empire, even when treated unfairly.


    Perhaps this is why the great first King established the "vow" and passed it down as a gift to his descendants.


    Even if Bian planned to abandon her duties as Knight Commander, a knight with a broken vow posed no threat to them.


    "The only people who can give you orders are the royalty. The Prince..."


    "This was an order personally given by the Prince. He blessed us with a triumphant return in the presence of His Majesty."


    Bian¡¯s reply rendered Ave speechless. Her golden hair drooped, and though she couldn¡¯t comprehend why the Prince would make such orders, it was now irreversible.


    Bian shifted her tone, saying, "Some things cannot be changed just by knowing them, and what you just said is enough for the Judicial Court to tie you to a stake and burn you ¨C someone like you should stay far away from the imperial capital."


    "So, the followers of the Evil God can also exploit the vow to lead you step-by-step into deeper layers of the pollution zone."


    Once Ethan placed himself in the perspective of the heretic, he could easily come up with many ways to deal with Bian in the pollution zone.


    "However, you have a plan."


    Ave took a deep breath, looking at Ethan with hope.


    This person with his wild imagination could always come up with ideas even she couldn¡¯t think of when things were at an impasse, "You have a plan this time too, don¡¯t you?"


    "Yes, I have a plan."


    Ethan said solemnly, "I¡¯ll enter the pollution zone, and you set up an ambush at Riverside Town. I will do everything to lure the mastermind out of the pollution zone. That is our only chance."


    "It¡¯s too risky!"


    Bian and Ave almost simultaneously protested.


    "If you die, we still cannot return alive! There is no failsafe plan now."


    Ethan forcefully interrupted the two, "And don¡¯t forget that at level 3, everyone will lose their power, but Director Yakwell successfully escaped from there. I will leave corresponding clues at the level I reach. If I cannot get out of the pollution zone within a day, the rest is up to you, Ave." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Driven to monopolize experience and delve into advanced magic, Ethan was willing to take the risk.


    This segment of speech was also designed by him in the study.


    He could not miss this chance, as chaos was about to unfold, and he needed to be prepared.


    After a deliberate pause, he mustered a resolute expression, "However, if I succeed, please give me an excellent performance evaluation."

 Chapter 70: Are You Lost?

    Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Are You Lost?Three days later, the Expeditionary Army led by the Imperial Knight Commander arrived at Riverside Town. At the break of dawn, these elites of the Kingdom Army methodically began setting up defensive lines.


    Every person was shrouded in a faint sadness. These battle-hardened imperial elites, after hearing about Ethan¡¯s deeds, all paid their respects to this young man from the small town. They also understood that this journey was fraught with danger, and the young man might never return.


    Ave and Hagrid stayed in the town square, accompanying Ethan for his "last breakfast."


    Upon hearing the news, Hagrid brought the Guard Corps under Baron Gledin to lend support. As the first rays of the morning sun touched Riverside Town, the once empty town was already filled with the smell of gunpowder. He couldn¡¯t forgive the Evil God¡¯s Followers for turning this familiar town of his into a ghost town through their sacrifices.


    "Here, brother Ethan, take this. It¡¯s my family¡¯s ancestral longsword; it has been to battle before."


    He handed the longsword, sealed for decades, into Ethan¡¯s hands.


    Then, this burly man didn¡¯t know what else to say and could only pat Ethan on the shoulder. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ave watched the scene with even more complex emotions.


    Her feelings had never been as conflicted as they were now. Rationally, she knew that Ethan¡¯s proposal was the best solution, and setting aside personal emotions, she would have devised almost the same battle plan. However, this could very well be the last time they met, and for investigators, delving into the pollution zone and never returning was the most common outcome.


    Ever since spending time with Ethan, she felt like she had become strange.


    If it were her former self, she would have agreed with Ethan¡¯s plan without any emotional fluctuation, praised him, and then prepared a compensation payment.


    Noble sacrifice was nothing to be saddened by; it was an excellent tradition passed down since the first king¡¯s time.


    Further on, she suddenly thought of every investigator like Ethan.


    They had also enjoyed a last breakfast before entering the pollution zone, and after bidding farewell to friends, disappeared into that anomalous space and never returned.


    For the first time, she saw the "human" existence. They were no longer just numbers tied to compensation amounts; each had left their mark on this world.


    Then, a splitting headache interrupted Ave¡¯s thoughts. She staggered and covered her forehead with her hand.


    A voice from nowhere reminded her to abandon this dangerous thought. As a decision-maker, this was unnecessary and hazardous "noise" that could cause her to lose calm judgment and make the wrong decisions.


    Ethan was a brave person, and the Empire had many like him.


    Their self-sacrifice would prolong the glory of the Empire.


    Ave wanted to speak several times but didn¡¯t know what to say. After a long silence, she could only manage to say "Eat more."


    Ethan¡¯s "last breakfast" looked quite shabby¡ªhard bread with cold meat soup. She suddenly thought that perhaps Ethan, who had always lived in Ximu Town, had never tasted anything genuinely good. In such a frontier city, having some meat soup was already considered luxurious.


    While speaking, the sound of running footsteps came from afar.


    Cheerfully, Ethan waved at Miss Keroy. In "Light Messenger Yakwell," it was mentioned that finding the anchor point of entry was key to entering the pollution zone. Although the werewolf collar had been transferred to the Gear City branch, Miss Keroy shared some subtle connection with the anchor point of the pollution zone.


    She quickly found the entrance to the pollution zone. Ethan, carrying a noticeably overburdened backpack, left with the words "I¡¯m off" and followed the little hen¡¯s footsteps.


    Ave and Hagrid followed.


    Miss Keroy stopped by the canal. The screw wheel had long ceased operation, and the channel¡¯s water had become a filthy color. It was in this canal that the witch cast a spell, poisoning all the residents of Riverside Town.


    Ethan recalled the summary of entering the pollution zone from the novel. When the anchor point is found, one should clear one¡¯s mind; closing one¡¯s eyes would be a good option. For now, his primary task was to control the excitement in his heart.


    Almost the moment he closed his eyes, he experienced a strange feeling. It was as if an obscure power was guiding him forward. He followed the voice¡¯s guidance, taking a step back when he heard Hagrid¡¯s exclamation. But soon, the exclamation was isolated, and the whole world quieted down.


    Theoretically, he should have fallen into the canal according to his path. However, the road ahead was still flat. A burning smell pervaded the air. When Ethan halted and opened his eyes, Ave and Hagrid had vanished without a trace, and his orientation had reversed.


    The canal was behind him, transformed into a viscous black liquid bubbling with frothy residue, with faintly visible dismembered limbs floating within. The pungent smell of burning emanated from the incessantly roiling liquid.


    It was still Riverside Town, yet much more dilapidated than before.


    The buildings were riddled with holes, the ground overgrown with weeds, and the sky was shrouded in overcast clouds.


    According to "Light Messenger Yakwell," the pollution zone was considered a mirror of the real world. In the level 1 depth, investigators could still recognize the original outlines of the area, with the geographical layout basically consistent. If unable to exit the pollution zone, investigators could find refuge in this level¡¯s buildings. Deadly cursed items usually only appeared after dark.


    Ethan was welcomed as soon as he entered the pollution zone.


    A little girl, with chestnut brown hair tied in a single ponytail and wearing a thick indigo-blue magician¡¯s robe, watched him from afar. The girl looked familiar, and the attire almost immediately reminded Ethan of Mr. Luoxang.


    "Are you lost?"


    The little girl pointed to the distant buildings and helpfully warned, "Don¡¯t go into the houses; it¡¯s not safe there."


    "What¡¯s your name?"


    "Isean."


    The girl replied. It was a unique flower found in the outskirts of Ximu Town, always growing near mountain forest sources. Only those hunters who ventured deep into the area would see these white flowers. She paused and asked, "And you?"


    "Ethan, an adventurer."


    Ethan realized that his current appearance greatly matched that of an adventurer, holding a longsword in his hand, with a flintlock slung at his waist, and a backpack filled with stimulants, ammunition, and a small amount of food and water.


    Upon hearing he was an adventurer, a glimmer of light appeared in Isean¡¯s eyes.


    "Can you take me out of here? I want to go home. My father must be very worried about me."


    "Of course,"


    Ethan replied. "I can help you find the exit."


    "I can be of assistance too. I... I learned some magic!"


    Isean softly chanted some spells, and a faint blue glow ignited in her palm, illuminating the path ahead and her own body.


    The light shone through.


    Semi-transparent, floating gently.

 Chapter 71: Prescription

    Chapter 71: Chapter 71: PrescriptionEthan found a place to settle in the small town.


    He sat in what seemed to be an old grocery store residence, with Isean using magic to light a lamp on the table. Before her were hard bread and a cup of water. She seemed to have not eaten for a long time and gobbled up the food.


    Ethan silently took note of this scene. She looked like a ghost, yet had a physical form, able to collide with objects, and seemed to retain some human instincts.


    Most of the paint on the grocery store¡¯s walls had peeled off, with various-sized holes present. The dark cavities did not let light through, and occasionally, worm-like creatures could be seen squirming inside. The shelves no longer held common supplies but were filled with specimens of unknown creatures.


    He also saw some familiar faces.


    In the corner of the grocery store stood three torches, trapping a creature made of various human parts pieced together erratically, deeply fearing the flames and curling its body into a meat lump.


    The left side of the face was Mrs. Judith, who ran a grocery store in Riverside Town. She had come to Ximu Town during the guild¡¯s annual meeting and invited Ethan to visit Riverside Town when he was free. She would treat him with her best cinnamon pie. The right side of the face was Mr. Brown, always stern but teaching Riverside Town¡¯s children for free. As for the mouth, Ethan couldn¡¯t discern it, vaguely seeing the lips of a man.


    The three different faces were stitched together with small tendrils, while the torso comprised four or five arms and thighs, along with some flesh chunks of unknown origin from the human body. In the manual, this type of monster was named the Assembler.


    If unfortunately caught by an Assembler, a crack would appear on its abdomen, swallowing the prey into its stomach¡ªwhere its true feeding organ lay.


    Ethan found this unreasonable because he found the names of Judith and Brown on Captain Hagrid¡¯s list of victims. Their bodies had been cremated uniformly, both to mourn the dead and to prevent the cursed souls of the violently deceased from lingering.


    Their bodies could not possibly appear in the contaminated area. Therefore, the Assembler before him was likely the souls of those who died under a curse, which perhaps was the essence of the sacrificial ritual.


    If one listened carefully, one might even hear involuntary and painful groans.


    The people of Riverside Town not only died but their souls were trapped in the contaminated area.


    Killing an Assembler was not difficult; the manual mentioned they could be attacked on a physical level, with their weak spot located in the lower abdomen. As long as one could manage a stab or a shot there, they would turn into a puddle of black slime. For Ethan, the easier method was to hit them with a Fireball Skill.


    The Fireball Skill had a significant restraining effect on dark creatures, but that was not his goal here; he wanted to explore the realm beyond the maxed-out skill proficiency.


    For the first time, Ethan cast spells not for proficiency or money.


    Isean finished her hard bread and quietly asked, "Mr. Ethan... that creature, is it okay?"


    "It¡¯s fine, just sick."


    The symptom was the soul twisted by the Evil God¡¯s power, haphazardly assembling them together like toys.


    Isean pondered for a long time before asking, "Can it be cured?" S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I¡¯m trying my best."


    The previous treatments weren¡¯t ideal; the destructive power of the fire element was too strong, burning its limbs just by approaching the Assembler. That seemingly caused it intense pain, so much so that after several experiments, Ethan could feel immense fear from the Assembler towards him. When he approached again, it no longer tried to attack him but curled more tightly into a ball, using its limbs to protect itself securely.


    As if, in its eyes, Ethan was a mad scientist more evil than the Evil God¡¯s followers.


    Ethan once again fell into deep thought, with the gathered flames flickering constantly in his palm. Compared to the initially condensed flames, this flame now had a significantly different form.


    It became increasingly brighter, nearing golden. He was trying to eliminate the destructive part as much as possible¡ªa process that wasn¡¯t easy, as every refining consumed a tremendous amount of his magic power. He was drenched in sweat in the cold winter, and had downed two bottles of stimulant to help him focus intensely, finely observing the changes in the fire element.


    Despite his witch teacher simplifying the theory of element sublimation as much as possible, this wasn¡¯t basic elemental magic. Mere rote learning was destined to not reach that realm.


    He needed to go one step beyond understanding, only then could he create unique magic that was truly his own.


    Ethan once again looked at the Assembler in the corner. Nearly ten minutes had passed since the last experiment. Its head peeked out from the cluster of limbs, its mismatched eyes gazing curiously at him.


    The book "The Magic of Fireball and Ice Arrows" mentioned that elemental magic was closely related to human emotions.


    You have maximized the proficiency of the Fireball Skill.


    All fire elements have become your friends.


    Your name is known far and wide among the Elemental Elves.


    So, what do you want to do with this power?


    Ethan looked into the distorted souls and found his answer.


    He wanted to reclaim all the sacrificed souls from the hands of the Evil God Bajatos.


    He cleared the last distraction in his heart. Almost simultaneously, the flame in his palm burst into a dazzling golden light.


    Ethan stood up and slowly walked towards the twisted souls. Their limbs instinctively resisted, but this time, they did not retract their head into the cluster of limbs. The same body had two completely different reactions at this moment¡ªit stretched its neck, desperately trying to move closer to the approaching light.


    Then, it was bathed in the light, the grotesque face stitched together showing an expression for a brief moment. The painful murmurs ceased, and the chapped lips moved, seemingly trying hard to speak.


    Meanwhile, the unnaturally stitched seams on the limbs struggled desperately, and the tendrils were also bathed in the same light, dissipating at a speed visible to the naked eye. Eventually, they turned into dust disappearing into the air, as the unstitched limbs fell apart, transforming in appearance.


    Three fragmented souls stood before Ethan, and he recognized the third person.


    Mr. Will, the town¡¯s sheriff, was well-known for his loud voice. A year ago, when the guilds of the two towns gathered people to fight the mass of migrating monsters here, Will was the first to rush in waving his sword.


    The three souls seemed to recognize Ethan and nodded to him.


    Soon, the pale blue figures merged into the golden light.


    Ethan glanced at the changed Fireball Skill proficiency prompt.


    ¡ºFireball Skill (Solar), Proficiency: ¡Þ, You have found your own path.¡»


    He did not revel in the joy of the skill changing; there was still much to be done.


    Before the three incomplete souls vanished, they pointed to a location¡ªa wardrobe with its door ajar in the grocery store, filled with profound darkness like the holes in the wall.


    "Should we go in?"


    Isean suddenly became uncharacteristically pensive, staring intently at the darkness within the door crack, "We can still turn back now; there might be something bad inside."

 Chapter 72: We Are All Her Nourishment

    Chapter 72: Chapter 72: We Are All Her NourishmentWhen he opened the wardrobe door, Ethan noticed that Isean¡¯s appearance was changing. Wrinkles appeared on her fair and smooth cheeks, then fell away like peeling wall paint, bit by bit. Her gaze was complicated, seemingly wishing both for Ethan to leave immediately and for him to delve deeper.


    Her figure didn¡¯t last long, turning into withered dust and disappearing into the darkness of the wardrobe.


    The wardrobe was empty, only darkness itself remaining.


    Ethan closed his eyes again, several hours had passed since he had ventured into the pollution zone, and coupled with the high consumption of magic power, he was somewhat exhausted. The effect of the awakening potion was temporary, and once beyond its threshold, fatigue would flood him like a dam breaking.


    He walked into the darkness of the wardrobe, almost immediately catching the pungent stench of rot, accompanied by the murmuring whispers of pain, and crawling sounds coming perilously close. Something was rapidly approaching him.


    He was still in the grocer¡¯s shop in Riverside Town.


    In the instant he opened his eyes, assembled together in his view were six assemblers. They crawled on the ground, forming a wary circle.


    A raspy, deep voice echoed from the depths of the darkness, tinged with fanaticism and impatience, asking, "Oh? Do we have a visitor? What kind of person is it? Is it someone with red hair, wearing a knight¡¯s light armor?"


    The assemblers let out low growls, and a hunched figure carrying a gas lamp emerged from the darkness into Ethan¡¯s sight. His upper body was clad in torn white clothes, his chest riddled with pustules exposed to the air. His lower body wore a gardener¡¯s apron, stained with soil and blood. Thin as a scarecrow, his hair was all gone, perhaps due to his long stay in darkness, leaving only the whites of his eyes.


    On his left cheek were two healed scars, resembling a cracked mouth, the mark of the followers of Evil God Bazatous.


    He raised the gas lamp towards Ethan, his other hand clutching a blood-stained shovel. Though separated by less than three meters, Ethan couldn¡¯t see his face clearly. After a while, he spoke, "No, you¡¯re not her. Who are you? Why are you here?"


    "I¡¯m Old Sen."


    "Old Sen?"


    The unfamiliar name puzzled the man, seemingly struggling to recall it, "Which Old Sen?"


    Ethan thought the man must have stayed in the pollution zone for too long, his bodily functions and memory degraded. To help him remember better, Ethan decided to lend a hand.


    Golden flames swept across the assemblers, piercing through the man¡¯s chest, under the light his wounds rapidly expanded.


    Ethan reminded, "Old Sen who can cast Fireball Skill."


    The man¡¯s screams made the assemblers restless, they anxiously paced in place, yet dared not approach due to the burning golden flames.


    The man struck by the fireball rolled and crawled, Ethan followed him. As he stepped forward, the assemblers immediately cleared a path for him.


    "Ha, you might as well kill me, make me her nourishment! Can¡¯t waste it, mustn¡¯t waste!"


    The man crawled forward while muttering to himself.


    He missed a step and rolled all the way down from broken stairs to the edge of the soil. A half-meter-high white flower grew there, its surrounding soil freshly turned, burying faces twisted in pain. The man embraced the flower stem, ignoring the pain from his wounds, and delightfully buried his face in the blossom, as if it were a rare treasure.


    Thorns on the roots pierced his skin, and almost in the blink of an eye, the man¡¯s body shriveled as the roots dragged the leftover skin into the soil. By the light of the gas lamp fallen on the ground, Ethan saw the face on the flower¡¯s blossom¡ªit was the dried-up man¡¯s face, still wearing a blissful expression, until it completely disappeared, and the blossom gradually returned to its original state.


    There were many such white flowers, almost everywhere on the streets.


    Riverside Town¡¯s outline was now almost unrecognizable, streets transformed into a field of flowers, though it couldn¡¯t bring peace. Beneath the half-meter-high white blossoms were throngs of convulsing figures, densely packed together, howling and moaning.


    The whole town¡¯s people were here.


    Some had become assemblers, some scattered around, waiting to be assembled. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the fields were many people dressed in tattered gardener uniforms, all hunched over, bald regardless of gender, waving shovels, working diligently. Limbs were buried in the soil, soon new assemblers would break the ground.


    The original houses of the town had become bizarre trees, chaotic and defying the laws of physics.


    The gardeners noticed Ethan and saw what he had done, angered and raising shovels, rushing at him from all directions.


    Ethan bent down to pick up the gas lamp, brushed off the dirt that clung to him, and the white flower caught his attention. As his hand approached the soil, sharp roots actively withdrew from him, not out of fear, but when his gaze moved to the flower, its blossom seemed to be looking back at him.


    He struggled to describe this eerie feeling, despite the face on the flower having long disappeared, he still felt this strange sensation.


    The white flower responded to him.


    The blossoming bud trembled a few times, spitting out a faint glow, which vanished before touching Ethan.


    "Don¡¯t destroy our flower fields!"


    The gardeners drew closer, and under their command and coercion, the assemblers finally overcame their fear, roaring as they surged forward.


    This was one of the traps tailored by Evil God¡¯s Followers for the Knight Commander; when she ventured into the second layer, all of Riverside Town¡¯s souls would become her enemies, the assemblers from all directions enough to overwhelm her instantly. Even if she could fight her way out, it would surely deplete her considerable strength.


    And these eerie white flowers, their roots present everywhere, once pierced through the skin, one would be drained into a dried corpse like the gardener before.


    Gardners chanted in waves, "Become her nourishment!"


    "It¡¯s already too late."


    Ethan picked up the gas lamp, his gaze beyond the flower fields, looking towards the sky completely engulfed by darkness.


    This was a night without a moon, destined for no light to exist.


    But the next moment, the gardeners and assemblers rushing towards him uniformly halted, simultaneously looking up at the sky.


    Initially, it was just a weak light piercing through the darkness, but it became more prominent as it descended.


    Something was rapidly approaching them.


    They stared at the sky, until their pupils were completely filled with golden brilliance.


    It was a gold fireball, vastly larger than the whole town.


    The sky turned the color of the fireball.


    Then, the entire sky collapsed.

 Chapter 73: Launch Reflections

    Chapter 73: Launch ReflectionsThis book will be launched tomorrow, with five Chapters updated in one go at midnight on Tuesday. Subsequent updates will follow the promise made to everyone earlier: if the first day orders exceed 3,000, I will maintain a daily five-Chapter update for the first month after the launch. If, unfortunately, it doesn¡¯t surpass that figure, it will generally be maintained at 3-4 updates (6,000-8,000 words).


    In summary, Lao Tao still couldn¡¯t escape the rule of one good book, one bad book. The previous book went through a period of unclear consciousness due to its underperformance, but I managed to pull through. The preparation process for this book was also full of hurdles from the start; I wrote six or seven versions of the beginning, during which I also sought feedback from group friends on the opening, but in the end, none of them were used. When preparing the beginning, I reached a point where I almost forgot how to write, so I must thank Mr. Lv Dou and Penglai for offering many valuable suggestions. Some beginnings, upon reflection, had either pacing issues or started with a gimmick that was hard to develop further. I¡¯m grateful for the reminders that kept me from going too far astray.


    This book is expected to be over 2 million words. Regular readers know that Lao Tao¡¯s style has always been invincible flow + a relaxed everyday life. Overall, I hope readers can keep a light and happy spirit amidst their busy studies and work, seeing the daily updates as a form of relaxation. After all, reading web novels is itself a form of solace. This book will continue this style; however, since many writing techniques and methods are still in their exploratory and learning phases, sometimes the plot may fall short of perfection ¡ª please bear with me! I¡¯m also reading the backend comments almost every day, and I am contemplating some of the readers¡¯ suggestions. However, a novel is destined to be hard to satisfy everyone¡¯s taste, so adjustments can only be made without affecting the original storyline framework.


    Finally, I want to thank the readers for their constant support. Before this, Lao Tao has never managed to write 10,000 words every day for an entire month, so the promise to update daily once over 3,000 is also a kind of self-encouragement. If there¡¯s a chance to progress further, I¡¯m still eager to put in more effort.


    I hope everyone can support with a first-day order. I hope everyone enjoys the reading, and I also hope this book will have a good outcome.


    S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 74 - 73: The Sun (5 Updates, Seeking First Subscription~)

    Chapter 74: Chapter 73: The Sun (5 Updates, Seeking First Subscription~)The flower fields were illuminated by golden light, and all impurities were cloaked in a layer of divine radiance.


    The anticipated scorching heat did not arrive, yet the gardeners displayed expressions of pain greater than that of being burned; as the fireball descended, they gradually understood why their feet had suddenly stopped. Their bodies betrayed them, and when the golden glow fell upon them, they involuntarily prostrated themselves within the radiance.


    What truly alarmed them was the discovery of a yearning from deep within their souls, just like the souls, twisted by pain, that were now being assembled.


    As if...


    They could bathe in sunlight too!


    But how could this be?


    They were followers of the Evil God Bajatos; they had discarded their identities, names, and all that pertained to them. They had willingly donned the gardener¡¯s uniform, burying one tortured soul after another in soil, only because it was the way to nurture the fruits of darkness.


    As long as they could spread the Evil God¡¯s fruits to every corner of the world, returning to the earliest and darkest era, by then they and all living beings would be the same.


    The God of Righteousness is dead, and the future belongs to the Heavenly Father!


    This was how it was meant to be!


    Yet they saw the figure bathed in golden light, the sole existence capable of walking within the radiance at this moment. Due to the overwhelming brightness, they could only discern a vague outline as the figure passed them, appearing to merge with the light or perhaps being the source of the light itself. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rising and falling wails were long gone, and the gardeners clearly saw the Evil God¡¯s brand on the sacrifices fading away, releasing them from this twisted corporeal existence. They also saw broken souls being pieced back together, returning to their original form.


    The sacrifices did not linger; they immediately rushed towards the light.


    Next was their turn; the sores on their bodies began to heal, withered pale skin took on a healthy color, and the invisible weight on their shoulders vanished. Their posture ceased to be hunched; previously obscured vision, accustomed to the dark, became clearer, allowing them to discern the changes around them.


    They rose from the cold soil; some grew hair, the brand of Bajatos on their faces was smoothed by the light, or more precisely, they briefly returned to the past, no longer numb and indifferent shells, puppets in the palms of the Evil God.


    An unprecedented satisfaction enveloped them, provoking the memory of hearing the chimes of the church as innocent children, back when they still yearned for the presence of the God of Righteousness, believing His grace would descend equally on everyone.


    But this time was different; they were seen and heard.


    The gardeners felt the call from deep within the light, mixed with many familiar voices.


    So intimate, yet within reach.


    They answered the call.


    Impatiently.


    ...


    When the radiance departed, only silence remained in the flower field.


    Ethan unscrewed the cap of the third bottle of awakening potion, drinking it down in a gulp. He was accustomed to the slightly bitter taste of licorice and the earthy aftertaste it left. He needed to drink another bottle to alleviate the slight disorientation caused by spellcasting. Before today, he had never released this much magic power.


    Besides alleviating fatigue, the awakening potion¡¯s other benefit was keeping him calm, temporarily isolating those negative emotions.


    The white flowers guided his way.


    All the roots pointed towards the town square, where originally there was a fountain, but in depth level 2, it transformed into a deep pit collapsing downwards. All roots converged towards the pit like blood vessels.


    Ethan, walking through the flower field, did not face attacks from the roots.


    He noticed one twisted soul was missing.


    It was Isean; her magical talent seemingly brought a greater curse upon her.


    The pit extended into an unfathomable darkness below, where even light couldn¡¯t penetrate, serving as the anchor point to the third level, known as the deepest level ever recorded. Any intruder would face the direct gaze of the Evil God Bajatos, their faith blocked, turning them back into ordinary people over time.


    Ethan didn¡¯t pause for a moment; he headed directly for the pit.


    This time, he didn¡¯t close his eyes, nor did he need to anymore.


    He heard the calling from the depths of the pit, an indescribable, chaotic language resonating incessantly in his ears; even the awakening potion couldn¡¯t make the sound completely disappear.


    It seemed to be an existence concealed at even deeper layers, issuing an invitation, allowing him not to establish a connection with this anomalous space through the anchor point.


    The book "Light Messenger Yakwell" describes the third level of the contamination zone as a place of isolation, beyond the reach of even faith.


    Ethan stepped into the pit, his reflection surfacing in the darkness.


    He did not fall.


    It was the whole world that fell; his vision inverted, everything he could see turned upside down, and instantly it felt as though he exchanged places with the reflection in the dark. This was a world constructed by countless stems, with the sky described in the book, veiled in blood mist, above his head.


    The chaotic whispers grew nearer, seemingly just beyond the blood mist.


    Ethan saw a white flower standing tall like an ancient tree at the center of the flower field, all roots converging towards it.


    A towering figure stood in front of the white flower, his back towards Ethan.


    He wore pitch-black knight armor, with pale hair draping over the shoulder plates. His hands rested on the hilt of a massive sword, its point embedded among the roots as if absorbing energy from them.


    The eye on the sword blade glanced at Ethan.


    Ethan walked towards the white flower.


    This was the trap meticulously crafted for the Knight Commander by the man steeped in the code of the knights before him. He stationed Isean¡¯s fragmented soul at the first level, confident that this lost soul would inevitably guide the other side onto his path.


    Indeed, it was an excellent tactic.


    Ethan was also ensnared.


    He noticed the absence of the soul and heard the cries echoing from deeper within.


    The fire element was thrilled to the extreme at this moment.


    Miss Witch mentioned that the nature of the fire element corresponded to brilliance; they favored ambitious individuals. When Ethan tried using his high school achievement of ranking in the top five of his grade to impress the elemental elves, the judges not only turned away but cast him dismissive glances.


    After spending two years in this world, Ethan finally understood the splendor the elemental elves desired.


    He made his decision.


    If this was an abyss impenetrable to faith, then he would create a sun within it.

 Chapter 75 - 74: Bazatous鈥檚 Dependents

    Chapter 75: Chapter 74: Bazatous¡¯s DependentsEthan disliked fighting with others, a habit formed over two decades before his transmigration. In the peaceful era before crossing over, fighting was a skill rarely used in daily life. He had seen too many people brawl together only to be taken into custody.


    For modern people, battle is a distant and elusive concept.


    Now, however, he was about to engage in his first true battle as an Elemental Shaper.


    If he had to fight, he would prefer an overwhelming victory without suspense, believing that he didn¡¯t need dramatic experiences in desperate situations in his life.


    Upon his arrival, the man in black armor was somewhat surprised but quickly guessed his identity, "From the Reception Bureau? An A-level investigator?"


    A hint of relief mixed in the man¡¯s seasoned voice.


    The man applied a bit of force with his right hand, pulling the massive sword from the ground, its sharp blade bathed in a bloody glow, its wailing echoing in the air. He turned, and Ethan was met with a chiseled, heroic face. A fierce scar ran from the left cheek to the right, crossing the bridge of his nose.


    It was a mark of honor from countless battles; however, his eyes had become clouded, resembling those of gardeners, with irises almost the same color as his eyeballs, unlike the hawk-like sharpness described in novels.


    "But if you had carefully read my message, you should know not to come here. That was my last piece of advice to you."


    The man held the massive sword in one hand, pointing the blade at Ethan.


    Even this simple action made the ground tremble, and roots rapidly grew around Ethan, blocking his path with thorn-covered brambles.


    It seemed, this was the final ending of "Light Messenger Yakwell."


    The once-glorious Kingdom Knight, founder of the Reception Bureau, was now clad in curse-tainted black armor, and the longsword symbolizing the Empire¡¯s honor had become the Evil God¡¯s soul-reaping blade.


    Suddenly, Yakwell burst into laughter, a genuine laugh as if recalling the few beautiful things, "But how could you heed advice? Even knowing where the path leads, you march forward like moths to a flame, until your body is torn apart, and your soul is twisted!"


    Ethan knew Yakwell was recounting his past.


    Rather than a knight, his novel image more resembled an adventurer. After escaping from Level 3, everyone advised against returning to the polluted zone, and even the then King issued a ban, but he defied it, risking oath-breaking, and on one fateful night, boldly ventured into the polluted zone, never to be seen again.


    Knight Yakwell, Investigator Yakwell, and now Servant of Bazatous Yakwell.


    "But just being here itself explains much, and as a reward, feel free to ask your questions. I¡¯ll do my best to answer your doubts, then send you on your way!"


    Before reaching the third level, Ethan indeed had some doubts, but now he clearly saw the energy flow, converging toward the white flower, explaining it all.


    This was a sacrificial ritual utilizing the souls of all Riverside Town residents to extract energy from those twisted souls, nurturing the white flower.


    Mr. Marshall had mentioned that Isean was exceptionally talented, a born magician.


    However, she was too young, far from a Great Mage, but in the eyes of the Evil God¡¯s followers, she was undoubtedly an excellent vessel.


    Miss Becky was not the ultimate beneficiary of the sacrificial ritual; the energy extracted from the soul was continuously absorbed by the massive sword in Yakwell¡¯s hands, becoming one with him. As a knight awarded the Fourth-Order Medal before disappearing, this was to make him cross the final threshold.


    The fallen Saint, spreading calamity as if the Evil God himself.


    This was people¡¯s verdict.


    No need for further words, Ethan understood everything.


    If he had to ask something else...


    "Are you ready?"


    The unexpected question left Yakwell stunned. He hesitated for a moment and asked, "Ready for what?"


    "Time to act."


    Astonishment turned into unrestrained laughter. He raised his sword with both hands and shouted, "Then as you wish!"


    His gaze locked on Ethan, a thought away from decapitating him¡ªthis was originally intended for the Empire¡¯s Knight Commander, but unexpectedly, someone else arrived first.


    It would be swift, a painless death.


    Yakwell¡¯s toes touched the ground, his body becoming a shadow, but almost instantly, he flew backward even faster; the violent collision brought back a feeling of pain he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. Only then did he notice an ice wall had appeared between him and Ethan, blocking the cursed sword infused with the Evil God¡¯s curse from crossing.


    He instinctively looked at the massive sword, a layer of frost covering the eye on the blade¡¯s edge, briefly cutting off energy supply.


    Soon after, Yakwell¡¯s attention was caught by golden fireflies floating in the air. At the moment he thought of dodging, a violent explosion sent him flying again, even with armor protection, more tearing wounds appeared on his body.


    He saw the blood gush, and before the bloody energy could heal the wounds, a sharper pain emerged.


    Another kind of energy flowed within him, sharp, easily piercing his flesh, with the blood inside betraying him, riddling his black armor with holes; in an instant, he was pinned with red thorns.


    Elemental Shaper.


    But so different from the Elemental Shaper in Yakwell¡¯s understanding, he looked at Ethan with somewhat blurred vision.


    Why could this Elemental Shaper skip the incantation process?


    Knowing that the more powerful the spell, the more complicated the incantation, Elemental Shapers needed undivided focus, any small error could nullify the spell, for this reason, the Kingdom Army must assign a squad to protect Elemental Shapers on the battlefield.


    But fortunately, his attack was effective too.


    No matter how strong an Elemental Shaper was, they couldn¡¯t escape a frail body; once the attack hit, the battle was over.


    He saw two thorn-covered roots pierce from behind through Ethan¡¯s chest, likely due to focusing too much on the offensive against him and neglecting the danger from behind.


    Yakwell felt a bit relieved.


    Luckily, this was the third level of the polluted zone; thankfully, he nourished this white flower with souls.


    Next, he just had to wait for the Elemental shaping magic to dissipate, and Bazatous¡¯ blessing would heal his body. This was his "Holy Sanctuary," no matter the severity of the damage, the divine spirit controlling death would grant him rebirth.


    But soon, Yakwell noticed something unusual.


    The body pierced by thorns did not fall forward as he had anticipated; there was no blood flowing from the dreadful wounds; Ethan still stood there. Yakwell saw a heart-stopping golden radiance continuously emerging from his chest. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He saw Ethan¡¯s eyes also enveloped in golden light.


    This led Yakwell to belatedly realize the purpose of pinning him with ice thorns was to render judgment like a sinner nailed to a pillar, instinctively causing him to look to the sky.


    The firmament remained shrouded in blood mist, but beyond the blood mist, he could no longer find solace.


    This led Yakwell to a terrifying hypothesis.


    Ethan¡¯s spell target was not him but the existence above the blood mist.


    Something gathered above the clouds until a breach tore through the blood mist.


    The golden radiance shone upon him.

 Chapter 76 - 75: Saint

    Chapter 76: Chapter 75: SaintAs more beams descended, the blood-red sky became riddled with holes, and the presence hidden behind the thick fog finally revealed a glimpse of itself. Though it was fleeting, Ethan still noticed the eyes fading until they disappeared completely.


    The sky is the eyes of the Evil God, He has always been watching everything that happens here.


    This is likely the reason Yakwell mentioned that those who intrude into the third level gradually lose touch with the power of faith. Ethan realized at the same time that there might be deeper levels within the corruption zone.


    With each step forward, one moves further away from reality and closer to the Evil God.


    The sense of exhaustion grew increasingly intense.


    Sustaining a round of sun high in the sky was the most magic-power-consuming magic Ethan had ever cast, but it was a necessary means to implement his idea, and its outcome developed as he envisioned.


    The Evil God¡¯s gaze dissipated, and the curse lingering in this level retreated at a speed visible to the naked eye.


    The sky above returned to normal, and the thorns piercing his chest turned to ash under the sunlight.


    Yakwell¡¯s features of immortality and healing were also taken away.


    Ethan saw this former Holy Hall Knight face the sky, closing his eyes as if listening to some melody he couldn¡¯t hear.


    Then he walked to the white flowers, watching the petals wither.


    A familiar figure was floating before him.


    "Thank you."


    Isean raised her hands, casting a spell with light blue resembling butterflies swirling around Ethan, "This is the Lighting Technique, a very interesting little magic indeed."


    The pale face lifted into a vibrant smile, "I wanted to perform this magic in the tavern, been practicing it in private for a long time."


    Ethan said, "It¡¯ll surely be popular."


    "That¡¯s great!"


    Isean¡¯s smile grew brighter, "...Could I possibly ask you one last favor?"


    "Hmm?"


    "I live in Ximu Town, my dad is a very famous comedian there, you can easily find him, could you... take this back home and give it to him?"


    "Of course."


    Ethan opened the empty cap of the wakefulness potion, and the glow happily flew inside.


    "Thank you so much, thanks for the trouble!"


    Isean repeated the thanks again and again, her voice growing fainter until it was completely inaudible, that subtle silhouette finally merged with the golden brilliance, seemingly drifting to a higher place.


    The intense exhaustion made Ethan unable to move his feet, so he simply took off his backpack and lay on the ground facing skyward.


    White petals fell onto his face.


    The combat plan had completely failed, now is the time to hold a reflection session.


    According to the original plan, he was supposed to find a way to lure Yakwell out of the third level, force him back to reality, and make him fall into the ambush set by the Knight Commander, so he could perfectly complete his task as an investigator.


    But now, Yakwell had also disappeared, leaving no enemies here, only a golden sun.


    What¡¯s worse, Ethan noticed the cracks in the sky.


    After Bazatous¡¯ gaze dissipated, this anomalous space born from His curse naturally began to collapse. It wouldn¡¯t be long before Ave and the Knight Commander found him lying on the ground, and this time it might not be so easy to get away with it. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Should he confess directly to them, or leave without a word after recovering and escape to another city?


    The effects of the magic potion were fading, and more and more stray thoughts surged, along with an unspeakable exhaustion. Ethan stopped supplying magic power, dissolving the field constructed by the ascended elements. If he thought about it positively, at least he had made unprecedented progress in the practice of ascended elements.


    The fire element named Sun seemed to carry some sort of purification and judgment effect, but the specific changes required further study.


    Ethan¡¯s mind was flooded with chaotic thoughts, he saw the sky already like glass riddled with cracks, yet he had no desire to get up from the ground.


    He simply shifted his gaze to the glass bottle, inspecting the glow inside.


    Unbeknownst to him, he heard footsteps, coming closer from afar.


    He reflexively turned his face, first seeing a pair of crystal high heels in his sights, then following the seemingly excessively fair skin upward, ultimately meeting a pair of ruby-like shimmering eyes, with smooth white long hair cascading down to her waist. This feeling was oddly familiar, only this time, his client was not wearing that strange spiral mask.


    A distant, aloof high mountain flower.


    Ethan suddenly remembered a description he had read in literature before.


    "Do you want them to know?"


    The witch asked him.


    Ethan reflexively answered, "Haven¡¯t decided yet."


    This feeling was very subtle; technically, this was their second meeting, yet it felt naturally as if they had interacted for a long time.


    The witch seemed thoughtful, and then Ethan detected the fluctuation of elements.


    He immediately broke out in goosebumps; it was an unfamiliar Ice Elemental Elf, converging incessantly, constructing what might be a barrier larger than Riverside Town, a semi-circular barrier encompassing all he could see.


    This intensified the collapse of the corruption zone, the sharp, teeth-gritting sound echoed for a long time, and finally the cracks permeating the air reached their breaking point.


    Ethan saw the scene on the other side of the rupture.


    The ready-to-strike Beyond had already sensed the spatial disturbance, drawing thin swords and firearms, prepared for battle, beside her were Ave and Hagrid.


    They evidently saw Ethan lying on the ground too, full of concern and anxiety.


    A slyness passed over Miss Witch¡¯s face, instantly transforming into a malicious and slightly manic smile, as if reverting back to the world¡¯s greatest sinner wanted by the Empire.


    Her red eyes swept across everyone present, even the Empire¡¯s finest knights were frozen in place, their hands holding swords quivering, and legs trembling involuntarily.


    "Beyond."


    The witch¡¯s voice was soft, yet clearly transmitted to everyone¡¯s ears with the fluctuation of magic power, "After not seeing you for several years, I didn¡¯t expect you to be weak enough to let others take risks for you."


    This sentence snapped Beyond out of her daze, her pupils shrank, her figure turned into a blur, her sword pointing directly at the witch, yet the command issued was completely contrary to her actions, "Retreat, everyone retreat!"


    The first to receive the order was Miss Keroy, who was hiding behind the wall.


    She quickly ran over to the two, used her head to prop up Ethan, carrying him on her back, then sprinted away, not forgetting to grab the backpack on the ground in the process, while Ethan squeezed the glass bottle containing the glow in his hand.


    The Empire¡¯s knights immediately formed a formation, standing with swords, creating a human wall, shouting, "Form up, cover the retreat of the Reception Bureau brothers!"

 Chapter 77 - 76: The Witch鈥檚 Thoughts

    Chapter 77: Chapter 76: The Witch¡¯s Thoughts"She¡¯s alive, she really is alive!"


    Until the knights dragged her onto the horse¡¯s back, Ave stood frozen in place, her gaze never leaving the figure enveloped in ice and snow.


    She had always believed it so firmly, but never expected to see her in such a sudden manner.


    Ave¡¯s body trembled slightly. Despite her terror, a discordant smile tugged at her lips. The golden fur atop her head kept flailing against her scalp, but to little effect.


    As Riverside Town was about to disappear from view, she saw Lance brandishing his longsword, charging decisively into the snow and ice, fiercely tearing open the three magic scrolls hung at his waist.


    Instantly, the town was illuminated by the soaring flames. Fire and ice collided, dividing the entire world into distinct realms of red and blue. She couldn¡¯t tell whether the gusts hitting her were heat waves or cold winds. One moment she felt her skin would burst from the heat, and the next she seemed to be standing in a frozen cellar.


    The shockwave of the clash spread hundreds of meters outward, snapping every tree and plant in its path. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, everything returned to silence.


    Ave heard Miss Keroy¡¯s urgent "gugugu" sound as she charged ahead, with Ethan on her back, leading the horses forward.


    This two-year investigation finally bore fruit, only to be followed by a blank uncertainty.


    The Lindong Witch was still alive.


    But, what now?


    What should she do next?


    Should she immediately return to the imperial capital, present irrefutable evidence to the Church, and expose the execution two years ago as nothing but a hoax woven by the Church through the Horned Owl Beast Daily?


    Impossible.


    Deep down, she already knew that those who wanted to do so were all bound to the stake. To avoid following in their footsteps, her family allowed her to leave the imperial capital and head alone to this border town, knowing full well that this was destined to be a fruitless journey.


    Ethan too fell into deep thought; the witch¡¯s appearance confirmed his vague premonitions.


    Why did the witch know their battle plan?


    Why did the witch take the blame for him?


    And where exactly did that subtle familiarity come from?


    If Miss Zhao Cai was indeed the Lindong Witch transformed, then it would all make sense.


    However, he too couldn¡¯t escape feeling lost about the future. Recently, he learned many things¡ªhis original plans and life trajectory would be shattered with the turmoil of the Empire.


    Where would Old Sen¡¯s future lead?


    Excessive use of stimulator made him groggy, ensuring these questions couldn¡¯t be immediately answered.


    He decided to close his eyes.


    When he awoke again, it was late at night, and he lay on a familiar bed. Next to it stood a glass bottle glowing softly. The apartment was lively, and he immediately heard voices arguing in the living room. As he flipped out of bed and exited the bedroom, members of the Knight Order were embroiled in debate over their next steps.


    Ave had buried her head against her knees, the golden fur atop drooping listlessly. She didn¡¯t seem keen on intervening in the knights¡¯ disputes.


    Listening a while, Ethan found out that the injuries on the other side were grave. Although they seized the opportunity created by Lance¡¯s magic scroll to rescue the Knight Commander, it was already too late; the cold had invaded her body, plunging her into a coma. Even worse, the Lindong Witch remained unscathed and roamed freely outside.


    This was the insurmountable chasm between mortals and saints. The Knight Commander had almost instantly succumbed to the witch. Everyone knew that when the Lindong Witch descended upon Ximu Town, it would spell destruction for the town.


    Morale sank to unprecedented lows. One faction believed they ought to follow the last order from the Knight Commander¡ªto evacuate the town and bring her back to the Holy Hall for treatment. Others felt they should never abandon the residents of Ximu Town and should adhere to the knightly code, battling the witch to the last moment.


    Neither side could convince the other; fear made them irritable and prone to anger. It seemed a fight might break out at any moment.


    Ethan¡¯s mind was in turmoil; he didn¡¯t wish to remain in this tension-filled place. He greeted Ave, who seemed asleep and ignored him. He entrusted Miss Keroy to look after Ave, then took the glass bottle and headed solo towards the cemetery outside Ximu Town.


    It¡¯s the quietest place in the town, where he¡¯d fulfill his promise to Isean.


    Having not visited in days, the tombstone of Luoxang had gathered a thick layer of dust. He transformed the ice elements into water, using them to wash away the dust, then sat down on the slope and unscrewed the bottle cap.


    "I saw Isean, she is an excellent magician."


    Beyond that, Ethan had no idea what to say.


    Pale blue fireflies drifted slowly out of the glass bottle, flying into the night sky. To romantics, Luoxang¡¯s family should be gathered somewhere without any pain at this moment. Ethan¡¯s gaze followed the fireflies as they rose higher, until they vanished completely. In reality, he had no idea where departed souls went.


    His mastery of fire elemental magic had made a qualitative leap; self-preservation in the looming chaos shouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    Was it finally time to leave the town?


    "Meow~"


    A soft cat¡¯s meow caught Ethan¡¯s attention.


    Beneath the bright moonlight stood a Ragdoll cat with pristine white fur, gazing at him, half of her form still concealed in shadow.


    What should come, will come sooner or later.


    "Good evening, Miss Zhao Cai."


    Ethan waved lightly, as usual, remembering how she disguised herself as a client to approach him at Fireplace Bay, asking for a bouquet made of ice elemental roses. Yet, he couldn¡¯t confirm if it was a wicked joke of the witch, as all books mentioning witches described them as the most cunning, the most adept at toying with hearts; cruel women.


    Appearing harmless to approach prey, tricking them into trust, playing them like puppets...


    "Actually, this isn¡¯t your true form, is it?"


    The cat nodded at him.


    Ethan patted the empty space beside him and asked, "Aren¡¯t you going to talk?"


    This time, he closely observed the entire process of the cat transforming into a witch. In fact, the entire transformation was shrouded by blinding white light. The white glow took the shape of a human silhouette. Clearly, Miss Witch had a good memory, recalling the crystal high heels they¡¯d casually talked about in their last meeting.


    Miss Witch came to his side, sat on the slope like him, hugging her knees.


    Her silence accompanied by expressionless countenance made it hard to guess her thoughts. She merely turned slightly, staring at Ethan without a word.


    "So, what exactly is going on?"


    Ethan wasn¡¯t adept at guessing others¡¯ thoughts either and didn¡¯t want to waste time and energy on such elusive matters, thus said, "I want to know your thoughts."


    "A long long time ago... hmm, that¡¯s not right."


    Miss Witch took a deep breath, then revealed a slightly troubled expression. "On the far side of the ocean... that¡¯s not right either."


    It was a very distant story.


    Both in time and place, it was.


    However, she didn¡¯t want to tell a story now, nor did she come to tell one.


    After much contemplation, she finally revealed a look of realization. Yet this time, she didn¡¯t speak; instead, she closed her eyes, relaxed, and rested her head on Ethan¡¯s shoulder.


    Turning his head, Ethan smelled that unique fragrance.


    It came from the silky strands, a scent named snow cherry fruit aroma.


    Miss Witch¡¯s eyelashes trembled lightly, catching the moonlight¡¯s arcs.


    Time passed by minute by minute.


    Not knowing how long had passed, Ethan heard her soft murmur tainted with a nasal sound, "Like this, do you understand?"

 Chapter 78 - 77: My Girlfriend is a Terrorist

    Chapter 78: Chapter 77: My Girlfriend is a TerroristTo confirm he hadn¡¯t misunderstood, Ethan asked, "Did you recognize me back at Fireplace Bay?"


    "I saw you practicing the Ice Arrow."


    Miss Witch was likely referring to the time when he and the Ice Elemental Elf won the first skimming stones competition; he couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful that Miss Witch didn¡¯t join halfway, otherwise he might have had to settle for second place.


    But now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on these matters. Ethan had a more soul-searching question, "What you said back then, was it true?"


    The other had talked about a long-distance boyfriend; if you put yourself in Zhaocai¡¯s shoes, it did seem plausible.


    "Not entirely."


    "Haha, I knew it."


    Ethan immediately said, as the saying goes, if you laugh fast enough, awkwardness can¡¯t catch up with you.


    Miss Witch raised her eyes to him and explained seriously, "Tying you up and putting you in the basement after knocking you out was a friend¡¯s idea. I¡¯ve already reprimanded her and held a reflection meeting."


    Ethan thought that those books were right, witches are surely the most adept at seeing through people¡¯s hearts in this world. In just a few words, she made his emotions feel like a rollercoaster ride. But he didn¡¯t like the feeling of things being unresolved; only confirmed facts could calm his heart, regardless of whether they were good or bad.


    "What about the earlier part?"


    "The earlier part is true," Miss Witch said, "You did everything, so you have to take responsibility."


    Exactly what I wanted!


    Oh, no.


    Ethan cleared his throat, trying his best to act serious. This was going to be one of the most important moments of his life. If a girl is willing to teach you, who knows nothing, elemental magic, turns into a cat to accompany you, has white hair and red eyes, her feet look nice, and more importantly, on a night when the moonlight is beautiful, she opens her heart to you willingly, then you really should strike hard.


    Anyone who still dithers at a time like this really deserves an Ice Arrow ¡ª that was Ethan¡¯s impression when he read novels or watched anime.


    In those plots where both parties clearly have feelings for each other but end up missing out because of silence and misunderstandings, he¡¯d always want to shoot an Ice Arrow machine gun.


    Of course, if everything happening at this moment was merely a dream caused by overexertion, then when he woke up, he¡¯d pretend nothing happened and quietly study the upgraded Fireball Skill, as no one would know what was bottled up inside anyway.


    Even though he had made up his mind, given that his practical skills were at zero level, to describe it as introductory would be flattering, he spent a long time deliberating but felt that saying anything at this moment might ruin the mood. At that moment, he fully understood the conflicted feelings Miss Witch had earlier.


    Fortunately, Miss Witch demonstrated a textbook-level example.


    He said nothing and opened his right arm, wrapping it around her shoulder. Miss Witch¡¯s face almost naturally rested against his chest; she should be able to hear his intense heartbeat.


    Tonight, Mystic Scholar Ethan made groundbreaking progress in witch research; he found that a witch¡¯s body was also soft, at least softer than he¡¯d imagined, and the fruity scent at the tips of her hair was pleasant.


    "The night is still long."


    He began to speak, "You can start from a very, very long time ago in the story."


    It was indeed a long story, tracing back to when the former Director of the Reception Bureau was still alive. His long-term work had taught him one thing: to completely eliminate the followers of the Evil God, one cannot tackle the Evil God belief itself. This job allowed him to see the imbalanced system and how ordinary people of the Empire were gradually transformed into followers of the Evil God.


    Thus, he traveled everywhere, gathering a group of people with a common ideal. They discussed day and night, formulating several reform plans targeted at the current Empire. He ignored his family¡¯s objections, stormed into the Royal City to meet the King, and candidly warned him of the threat he had seen. If no changes were made, the Evil God would surely devour the entire Empire.


    A secret organization named Violet Commune was born.


    The commune was rarely mentioned; after the former director¡¯s death, all its activities ceased.


    Few people knew that the Lindong Witch, a member of the Seven-member Council, was once part of the Violet Commune as well.


    "The real danger does not come from the enemy, but from the people around you."


    Miss Witch calmly summed up the failed reform.


    Ethan suddenly thought of the case Ave was investigating, where Dreamweaver members were hunting down former Reception Bureau A-level investigators. Even though their identities were kept confidential, even though they went into hiding in remote small towns, they were still found out and brutally killed at home.


    "Those investigators..."


    "...are all members of the Violet Commune."


    She laughed, and it was not a gentle smile. In those people¡¯s final moments, she would watch them just like this with a smile, "So the enemy knows our actions inside out... Do you know? Just by making an inconspicuous alteration to the anchor point record during exploration in a contaminated area, one can delve into a deeper level."


    These were results she obtained from years of investigation.


    Someone within the commune altered the anchor points established by the Reception Bureau, bringing those in the deeper dimensions into the reality plane.


    The containment breach remains an unsolved case to this day.


    Yet, the true unsolved mystery lies in the fact that everyone who touched the truth died mysteriously, and ever since Regent King Freeman rose to power and promoted the new director, all investigations came to a halt.


    It was a very long story.


    As Miss Witch narrated this long-suppressed history, dawn had already arrived. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The only thing longer than this story was Miss Witch¡¯s assassination list.


    She nestled in Ethan¡¯s arms, softly reciting name after name, from those Ethan had never heard of, to those who occasionally appeared in the "Horned Owl Beast Daily," and finally to well-known figures like the Iron-handed Chief Judge, Regent King, and the Pope, who were familiar to everyone in the Empire.


    Miss Witch lowered her eyelids, as if she were a young girl daydreaming about a better life in the future.


    Ethan felt an immense burden on his heart.


    He had read many love-themed novels where "villainesses" were often portrayed. The characters were usually those with various reasons for having unpleasant personalities, yet with a unique charm. Ethan would always immerse himself in the fresh and somewhat thrilling reading experience.


    But he felt that Miss Witch shouldn¡¯t be considered a villainess in the traditional sense.


    "My vacation is coming to an end."


    Miss Witch smiled sweetly, although a cold wind blew.


    The date location was the town cemetery, the confession a terrorist declaration.


    Like a teenage girl in love, she leaned against Ethan¡¯s chest, tenderly whispering sweet words, "When I¡¯ve killed them all, I¡¯ll come find you."

 Chapter 79 - 78: The Answer

    Chapter 79: Chapter 78: The AnswerEthan never had the experience of dating a terrorist, nor did he think anyone could offer any advice in this field.


    But he felt he now had roughly two choices.


    Either pack his bags and hit the road with Miss Witch, becoming a carefree terrorist with her; or part ways, continue a long-distance relationship, and occasionally learn about her whereabouts through case reports in the Horned Owl Beast Daily.


    He didn¡¯t want to choose either. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, from the information obtained so far, it seemed very likely that the Empire and the high levels of Lunar Eclipse might have some dealings. They might provide information on those traitors, but once the target was pinned on them, they would turn against them, or even set up an ambush.


    And Ethan, although impulsively blurted out Heisenberg¡¯s name at Fireplace Bay, recent experiences had left him somewhat exhausted, having to act stealthily in everything he did, which was clearly not the life Ethan idealized.


    He suddenly spoke up, "This journey is fraught with danger."


    "Yes, I know."


    The white-haired girl in his arms gently nodded, "I¡¯ll be as careful as I can."


    "I mean, you might need a team."


    Her eyes flashed with a hint of delight, but then she frowned and said, "This is my grudge with the Empire."


    Ethan had been trying to fathom the witch¡¯s mind, roughly guessing her intentions. The failure of the Violet Commune meant that peaceful reform was destined not to succeed in the Empire. Coupled with her previous encounters, it inevitably pushed her to oppose the Empire, blending her past ideals with personal vendettas, leading to her current thoughts.


    She couldn¡¯t change the course of history, but she could kill those on her kill list.


    Maybe even the witch herself couldn¡¯t distinguish whether this was to eliminate the Empire¡¯s entrenched poison or to vent anger.


    However, Ethan felt that these were not important; what mattered was that their future goals might not be contradictory.


    "I have a plan."


    ...


    It was a hard night. When Ave woke from her daze, the Knight Order had settled down. Although neither side managed to convince the other, they recognized that quarreling and internal friction would only deplete their limited combat power, and they needed to conserve strength before Lindong Witch arrived.


    The knights split into several teams, patrolling the town in shifts, while those remaining sat on the ground, eyes closed for a nap.


    Though Ave appeared to have slept through the night, she was actually using the skills taught by the Enlightenment Society to observe the town¡¯s movements. In this chaotic situation, the only good news was probably that she had finally crossed the threshold of the third tier.


    The spell she used was called Insight, which allowed her to gain an aerial view to some extent through meditation, enabling her to observe the movements around Ximu Town comprehensively.


    Many senior scholars of the Enlightenment Society had become renowned strategists in Empire history, among whom Insight was one of their most proud skills.


    However, she hadn¡¯t fully mastered this spell yet, as the view she could see was extremely blurry, with ghost images of all the buildings in town overlapping, making it impossible for her to discern more details.


    This left her somewhat frustrated.


    At this moment, Ethan, who had been out all night, finally returned to the apartment. Ave saw that the white cat named Zhaocai was sitting on his shoulder as usual. Before she could speak, Ethan approached her and said, "Come to the study; I have something urgent to discuss with you."


    This solemn tone made Ave nervous, but she immediately stood up and followed Ethan to the study. After entering, she locked the door out of habit, while the perceptive Miss Keroy took on the role of a guardian at the study door, her feathers puffed out in a show of intimidation, not allowing anyone to come near.


    After closing the door, Ave stood uneasily at the entrance. Her intuition was always accurate, and she felt that something significant was about to happen.


    Ethan: "Ave, have a seat."


    Her heartbeat became increasingly rapid, her feeling of unease growing stronger, even causing her to sit with more restraint, her legs tightly together, and her hands neatly placed on her knees, a posture she always assumed when being criticized by mentors at the Society.


    The golden cat on top of her head, sensing something was amiss, immediately curled up to hide.


    All the bad deeds were Ave¡¯s doing, so getting scolded couldn¡¯t possibly fall on it, right!


    This was the mindset of the golden cat toward the Society¡¯s mentors.


    Ethan opened his mouth, "The next question is very important. Please answer truthfully. You mentioned before that you stayed in Ximu Town to find a magic book. Is this magic book related to the Lindong Witch?"


    "You¡ª!"


    Ave was startled by him, reflexively looking around¡ªthis guy had dared to shout out the name without regard for anything. Since the Fall War, everyone, when referring to the witch, had unanimously used terms like "that person" as a reference.


    If someone were to suddenly mention that name in public, they would definitely attract everyone¡¯s attention.


    Moreover, she originally didn¡¯t want to tell Ethan about the witch. Anyone associated with that name was cursed with misfortune, most meeting tragic ends; Ethan was just an ordinary young man from a small town.


    But now, having seen the "resurrected" witch in Riverside Town with their own eyes, it wouldn¡¯t be long before Ximu Town followed Riverside Town¡¯s footsteps.


    Continuing to hide the truth was meaningless.


    Thinking of this, Ave nodded in acknowledgment but immediately added, "This matter is too... complex; I don¡¯t want to get you involved."


    This was the second time Ethan heard a similar statement in one day.


    "I want to know the reason."


    Ave¡¯s answer was crucial. Ethan realized that if he intended to stay in one place, he must change the status quo. An individual¡¯s power has limits, and a life of constant anxiety would inevitably lead to mental exhaustion.


    He had to recruit more people to join in, and Ave was undoubtedly the most suitable candidate. If she assisted in covering, everything would become much simpler.


    Therefore, Ave¡¯s own stance was crucial.


    He was prepared for both outcomes. If Ave¡¯s purpose in coming to Ximu Town was to capture the Lindong Witch and hand her over to the Judicial Court, it meant it was time for him to embark on a journey. For Ethan, it would also spare him the effort of making a difficult decision.


    "Because... I want to find out the truth."


    Ave lowered her head, burying her face in the palms of her hands, her tone dejected, "A mentor I respected greatly was executed as an accomplice to that person."


    That was before the outbreak of the Fall War. At that time, rumors were rampant in the Imperial Capital that one of the Council of Seven, Lindong, had joined some evil commune, falling under the influence of the Evil God.


    Even up until a period before the execution, her mentor was still tirelessly advocating, arguing that people should not believe the rumors. Lindong was not only the Empire¡¯s finest Elemental Shaper but also someone to be upheld as a model.


    "My mentor always mentioned that person¡¯s name, hoping that I could become someone standing tall like them in the future. So, I want to know..."


    Ave¡¯s voice grew fainter, "I want to know why someone like her betrayed the Empire and became a minion of the Evil God?"

 Chapter 80 - 79: Magitech

    Chapter 80: Chapter 79: Magitech"I haven¡¯t betrayed the Empire, nor has your tutor Gretchen."


    In the moment the white light shone in the study, Ave¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, and the hidden Little Golden Hair raised its pointed ears. Seeing the figure formed by the white light, it immediately retreated.


    Their eyes met, and Ave felt her heartbeat pause momentarily.


    The one whose name could not be mentioned within the Empire was staring at her, "Until the last moment, she was still running around for the Commune."


    Ethan tactfully left the study to the two of them, indicating they should continue their conversation. He then left the study and sat shoulder to shoulder with Miss Keroy at the door. Seeing the knights were all well-behaved and had no intention of eavesdropping, Miss Keroy took out her treasured alchemy book and began reading intently.


    She was already prepared to brew a new Magic Potion.


    The people here had high hopes for her to become the Empire¡¯s leading Alchemist in the future, and she was working hard towards that goal.


    The conversation between Lindong and Ave lasted a long time, with several groups of resting knights at the door being replaced. Finally, Ave opened the study door with a complex expression and spoke in a muffled voice, "Ethan, come in."


    She had finally obtained the truth she had been seeking, but her heart felt no joy or relief.


    She also learned that Valerie Tutor had always known about this but had never mentioned it to her.


    Locking the door, Ave returned to her seat. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Miss Lindong said, you have a plan."


    In an instant, both their gazes focused on him. In the cemetery, Ethan hadn¡¯t explained his thoughts in detail because how to implement this plan largely depended on Ave¡¯s attitude.


    Trust is the foundation of a team.


    "When I was at Fireplace Bay, I heard some news, which is closely related to you."


    "Wait a minute, when did you ever go to Fireplace Bay?"


    "Heisenberg, that¡¯s my identity there."


    Ave was shocked again, pointing at Ethan, speechless for a while before saying, "Are you really Lindong¡¯s teacher and lover!?"


    To her, this seemed like a ridiculous story, but the facts were right in front of her. She had no idea when Ethan and Lindong got involved, but if she traced the time back two years, it would seem that Heisenberg heard about his student¡¯s situation and came to the Empire¡¯s border to receive her departure.


    "Fake news!"


    This accusation instantly destroyed the atmosphere Ethan had carefully brewed because he noticed Lindong also cast a surprised look at him, as if lost in thought. With Miss Witch¡¯s peculiar way of thinking, who knows what she¡¯s pondering now.


    He hurriedly explained, "Those are just novels written by others, can¡¯t be taken seriously! Don¡¯t interrupt!"


    "Oh."


    Ave obediently crossed her legs.


    Though she agreed verbally, it was evident that her strong curiosity had been piqued. She tried hard to remain calm, but the Little Golden Hair on her head perked up, darting its eyes between Ethan and Lindong.


    "Let¡¯s start with the Knight Commander¡¯s matter. The one who truly wishes her dead is not Lindong, but the high-ranking officials of the Empire."


    As Ethan narrated, the study fell silent.


    He thoroughly sorted out the Empire¡¯s situation he had been pondering over these days, not only informing the two of the impending war but also trying to make his thoughts more organized.


    "The reason the Empire has been able to sustain its dominance is, on one hand, due to the solid alliance with the Neseriel Sanctuary, and on the other hand because of the invincible Golden Fleet left by the founding King. However, this situation is gradually being disrupted with the rise of firearms and Steam Technology."


    Currently, the Empire¡¯s Knight Order and Firearms Battalion can still maintain the balance, but with the birth of more powerful war machines, the balance is bound to be broken.


    Ethan utilized his pre-transmigration knowledge, using Steam Technology from the Western Continent as a starting point. The current Empire¡¯s naval power has already been left far behind, and he casually mentioned the mass use of war vehicles like tanks, which would ultimately make the old military structure obsolete.


    Many mid to low-tier Transcendents would be eliminated, and steel torrents would become the mainstream on the frontlines.


    And this was based on historical simulations without mystic powers, leaving Ethan to imagine what terrifying technologies this world might give birth to.


    The prospects for High-tier Transcendents were also grim, as the Evil God was quietly eating away at the Empire.


    The visit to the contaminated zone made Ethan realize that the belief in the Evil God was akin to raising insects, sacrificing numerous souls to create creations that could rival high-tier abilities. Once war erupted, coupled with the Evil God¡¯s muddling in between, the collapse of the Empire was only a matter of time.


    Ethan spared no effort in spreading anxiety within the study, and the youthful Ave indeed took the bait.


    Imagining the scene Ethan depicted, the steel beasts tearing through the Knights¡¯ defenses and marching straight into the imperial capital, she shivered with fear.


    Lindong supported her chin with her hand, "Magic Tech Weaponry? Did you come up with all this?"


    Especially the steel beasts mentioned by Ethan, impenetrable by swords and firearms, aroused her strong interest.


    "If the Empire were to give birth to a wise ruler, initiate reforms immediately, nurture talents according to their strengths, conduct broad diplomacy, absorb others¡¯ strengths, and devote themselves to researching Magic Tech, the Empire¡¯s glory could continue to be sustained. However, the capital is now caught in internal strife, reaching a point of irreconcilability."


    Ethan said, "It¡¯s not that no one sees the crisis facing the Empire, but they¡¯ve all been persecuted. As time goes by, only silence remains. But this is inevitable, as sweeping reforms must inevitably touch many interests."


    The failure of the Violet Commune has already proven that top-down reforms are essentially unworkable in the Empire.


    "So... you want to initiate reform?"


    This statement made Ave realize Ethan¡¯s extreme disappointment in the decaying Empire. Of course, reform was a euphemism; in the eyes of the high-ranking officials, this would be an unforgivable rebellion.


    People who have attempted this in the past have failed, having their heads chopped off and hung on the walls of their hometown as a warning to everyone.


    What surprised Ave even more was that she actually thought along with the idea of rebellion for a moment.


    Ximu Town is just a border town of the Empire, incapable of stirring up anything significant in terms of soldiers or weaponry.


    "Initiate reform?"


    Now it was Ethan¡¯s turn to stare at Ave in shock, having to stop analyzing and correct, "Your idea is quite dangerous."


    He hadn¡¯t noticed before that Ave had a rebellious nature!


    Ave¡¯s face reddened, stumbling over her words for a long time, "Isn¡¯t that what you said!"


    This guy now actually turns the tables, pinning the blame for rebellion on her!


    How could there be such a despicable person!


    "You can eat food recklessly, but you can¡¯t speak recklessly. Don¡¯t accuse me, I never said such a thing!"


    Ethan was shocked, turning to Lindong, asking, "Did I say anything like that?"


    Lindong shook her head.


    Then it was Little Golden Hair on Ave¡¯s head, "Little Golden Hair, did I say anything like that?"


    Upholding justice, Little Golden Hair immediately shook its head too, then received a smack from Ave.


    "Hitting it won¡¯t help; the vote is 3:1, the situation is quite clear."


    Ethan spoke righteously, "Haven¡¯t you heard a saying? If you have rebellion in your heart, no matter what others say, you will think they are thinking the same thing."


    If needed, he could still call Miss Keroy at the door in for a vote.


    Ave, furious, lost her composure as a noble lady, "You¡ª! Then after all you said, what on earth do you mean!?"


    She found that no matter how the situation changed, Ethan always remained infuriating.


    "Haven¡¯t I made myself clear enough? Then I¡¯ll say it again, I believe Magic Tech is the mainstream of the future, and we should start researching it from now to get ahead of everyone else!"

 Chapter 81 - 80: Old Sen Technology Welcomes You

    Chapter 81: Chapter 80: Old Sen Technology Welcomes YouEthan couldn¡¯t help but marvel that Ave was indeed the daughter of a politician. To dispel her thoughts, he began analyzing for the other party, "Currently, we are seriously lacking in both military force and equipment. Most of the residents in Ximu Town have never encountered muskets, plus Baron Gledin is an enlightened person; it¡¯s not yet at the point of having to start a rebellion."


    He had never thought of becoming a rebel leader.


    Before his crossing, he was nothing more than a conventional jobber with politics far from him. He neither had the ability to command troops nor the ambition for it.


    Being able to stir people¡¯s emotions with a few words so they willingly follow him to fight shoulder to shoulder requires an extraordinary level of personal charisma.


    However, in the research of magic-driven technology, they have a unique advantage.


    The Lindong Witch, a Saint who strikes fear into countless hearts, is peerless in her talent for elemental shaping magic and also has extremely in-depth studies in alchemy; Miss Keroy, just starting her career as an Alchemist, has already, under guidance, concocted a magic potion of 99.8% purity; even the Knight Commander of the Empire believes she will become the Empire¡¯s foremost Alchemist in the future; and he, Old Sen, humbly speaking, thinks his talent in making magic scrolls isn¡¯t too bad.


    As for Ave...


    Money is also a superpower.


    Her financial resources are indeed abundant, also able to smooth over various relationships, providing cover for their research when necessary.


    This was Ethan¡¯s ideal team.


    "Researching magic-driven technology? That sounds kind of interesting."


    After a brief consideration, Lindong said, "Once I¡¯ve finished my current matters, I can come to help you."


    Ethan knew "current matters" referred to that long kill list, and said, "It¡¯s said that there¡¯s no time like the present, especially in technological research, for if you¡¯re late by a step, the gap will only widen between you and others."


    "I have matters I must complete."


    This time, Lindong was determined in her stance.


    "Will that alone satisfy you?"


    Lindong¡¯s reaction was expected by Ethan. Her grievances with the Empire weren¡¯t things a few light words of advice could set down, and he never intended to persuade her with a stand of "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind," saying it without understanding the pain.


    In his view, the purpose of joining a team is to better achieve one¡¯s goals. If the premise of joining is giving up oneself, then why bother joining at all.


    "For the past two years, I¡¯ve persisted in reading the ¡¯Horned Owl Beast Daily,¡¯ which mentioned many of your deeds. Do you know what happened to those who were victimized later?"


    Though crime scenes were always very bizarre, he guessed they were means to vent anger. Seeing Lindong silent, Ethan continued, "Many among them were posthumously honored as heroes of the Empire, and there would be articles on the newspaper commemorating them. Meanwhile, you were regarded as zealot followers of the Evil God."


    "It¡¯s their usual tactic."


    Lindong¡¯s tone was calm, not surprised. The ¡¯Horned Owl Beast Daily¡¯ is controlled by the Empire itself; people can only see the news the Empire wants them to see. The Violet Commune once submitted a series of reform proposals to the King, considering the newspaper a mirror reflecting all over the Empire, capable of telling them what¡¯s happening in each city at the moment, waking them up.


    Unsurprisingly, the reform proposals were not accepted.


    The ¡¯Horned Owl Beast Daily¡¯ remained unchanged, and she had long abandoned her original path.


    "How about dragging them into the streets?"


    Ethan¡¯s proposal gave Lindong a jolt, making her stare at Ethan, waiting for more.


    He went on, "Dragged into the streets as criminals, tied up for public humiliation, reviled, judged, then hanged on the gallows, nailed on the pillar of shame in history... I just think letting them die as ¡¯heroes¡¯ is letting them off too easily."


    Ave found Ethan¡¯s words increasingly problematic.


    Isn¡¯t this trying to instigate a rebellion!


    And even wanting to pin it on her!


    "How do you plan to do it?"


    "Just as I said earlier, the current Empire is on the verge of collapse. Once the Knight Commander is dead, the Empire will inevitably erupt in civil war within two years, but this civil strife will end in failure, and the Empire will mobilize High-tier Transcendents and the Golden Fleet; they will sweep away all those who attempt to resist."


    The Lofic Consortium will definitely instigate the outbreak of war from behind the scenes. Whether the nobles, the church, or the consortium end up winning, the commoners will always be the real losers.


    Even the Evil God, who endowed them with power, merely intends to use their souls as fuel.


    It¡¯s truly a dark era.


    If Ethan were an ordinary person living in this time, he¡¯d probably fall into deep despair too.


    Even if Lindong can slay all the Transcendents standing in her way, she will ultimately be stretched too thin; the Empire¡¯s territory is simply too vast.


    "So, they surely will need weapons."


    Ethan said, "What if we deliver weapons to them and let them help you send those people to the gallows?"


    "Wait a minute, this is not..."


    Ave suddenly realized something, her expression slightly changed; what Ethan was implying was too familiar.


    Ethan¡¯s response confirmed her suspicion, "Being regarded as an Evil God¡¯s follower for so many years, is it not a waste if you don¡¯t commit some deeds of the Evil God?"


    After some investigation, Ethan discovered the Evil God¡¯s weapons had too significant side effects; they had to endure soul-twisting pains, abandon all they were familiar with, gradually becoming numb puppets.


    It was incredible such weapons made by black-hearted merchants could circulate in the market.


    "Let¡¯s join forces and kick the Evil God out of the trade market!"


    Ethan¡¯s words were strong and compelling.


    Ave¡¯s heart pounded fiercely¡ªseizing followers from the Evil God?


    Had anyone else said it, she would regard them as mad, yet at this moment, she felt blood boiling, overshadowing the confusion after realizing the truth, as if she saw a door opening for her.


    The first to switch sides was the tuft of golden hair above her head, seemingly eager to accomplish something significant with Ethan.


    As for her...


    She also had to admit she was moved.


    But Ave was temporarily puzzled, as this seemed to be an unforgivable act of rebellion, yet simultaneously, it felt like it was eradicating a deeply-rooted malady in the Empire.


    But one thing was certain: as long as Ethan can realize his research, the feats magic-driven technology can accomplish won¡¯t just end there. It will be another unexplored journey, a path untraveled by anyone before.


    "With your joining, we will surely achieve our goals; no one in this world knows elemental magic better than you, teacher!"


    This address of "teacher" made Lindong dazed for quite a while.


    Her vision blurred.


    Many memories flooded in; it took her a long time to suppress the emotions stirred within, and she softly asked, "What plans do you have?"


    "I opened a shop at Fireplace Bay."


    Prior widespread solving of magic scrolls had already earned Heisenberg considerable fame, and he felt their goods shouldn¡¯t be limited to magic scrolls. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Magic scrolls, magic potions, and even weapons fused with magic and gunpowder.


    They could easily purchase most materials required for their research at Fireplace Bay.


    "Let¡¯s start there."

 Chapter 82 - 81: Ethan鈥檚 Magic Talent

    Chapter 82: Chapter 81: Ethan¡¯s Magic TalentAve had a strong premonition that the meeting happening today in the study of the apartment in Ximu Town would likely be written into the Empire¡¯s history in the future.


    What surprised her even more was that Lindong actually accepted Ethan¡¯s invitation.


    So the question is, what exactly is the relationship between these two?


    Ethan just called Lindong a teacher, but she felt there was more to their relationship.


    The blonde hair on her head thought the same, dividing into two small strands in a gesture of crossing arms, nodding repeatedly ¡ª it seemed like an improper relationship.


    This meeting had some aspects she was not pleased about, for example, after the meeting was over, Lindong casually transformed into a ragdoll cat, gracefully sitting on Ethan¡¯s desk.


    This would have been fine, considering her high notoriety in the Empire, her usual appearance made it inconvenient to move around, but turning into such a cute cat and not letting anyone pet her head seemed a bit too much.


    Ave now suspected Lindong was actually a stingy person.


    Despite her previous attempt meeting failure, her sly mind was still active, under the persuasion of the blonde hair, she sneaked over again, forcing a flattering smile, "You see, from now on we¡¯re companions in the same team."


    The cat did not respond, just stared at her with those beautiful big red eyes, as if seeing through Ave¡¯s little thoughts.


    "Since we¡¯re companions, it¡¯s quite normal to let me pet your head, right?"


    The ragdoll cat¡¯s fur looked soft, sure it would feel great to touch.


    A trace of fierceness flashed across the cat¡¯s eyes, it straightened up, raised its right paw, ready to slap someone.


    The blonde hair on Ave¡¯s head chickened out first, pointing at her head when Ave wasn¡¯t looking ¡ª once again, it¡¯s all Ave¡¯s fault!


    Rejected again, Ave pouted, thinking she should find a way to write into the Empire¡¯s laws that transforming into a cat must allow head petting.


    What made her even more envious was Ethan could pet at will, and the cat would even jump onto his shoulder, rub its head against Ethan¡¯s face. She crossed her arms, agreeing with the blonde hair¡¯s view.


    Indeed, there¡¯s definitely an improper relationship between this person and this cat.


    Ave suddenly thought of something, turning to Ethan, "Since you call her teacher, it means you¡¯re an Elemental Shaper too."


    She remembered last time she went to Fireplace Bay, people were discussing Heisenberg, saying the freezing arrows magic scrolls he made were more powerful than the academy teachers, it seemed like he, like Lindong, was an Elemental Shaper specializing in ice elemental magic.


    "Yes." Ethan nodded, "The teacher taught well, I learned some magic."


    "How much is ¡¯some¡¯?"


    Ave pursued the matter, "Tier three? Or tier four?"


    If it¡¯s tier four, that would be incredible, knowing that having a Saint and a tier four Transcendent simultaneously in the Empire is considered a super organization.


    "His talent surpasses mine."


    With just one sentence, the cat once again made Ave¡¯s eyes widen, she pointed at Ethan, and only after a while did she manage to squeeze out a "Him?"


    The Lindong Witch was notorious, but even her enemies never denied her talent in elemental magic ¡ª the most gifted Elemental Shaper in centuries. Without the evil war, many believed Lindong might have become the strongest Saint in the Empire¡¯s history.


    At just over 20 years old, already stepping into the realm of Saints, she was unparalleled.


    "It¡¯s because the teacher taught well, how could my talent compare to the teacher?"


    Ethan waved his hand; he had never been associated with the title "genius" in his life.


    "Keep working hard." The cat jumped onto Ethan¡¯s shoulder, found a comfortable spot to sit, showing a high-and-mighty posture.


    But actually, even she spoke with little confidence.


    In the field of elemental shaping magic, Lindong was used to being prideful, she believed her understanding and use of elemental magic had long surpassed ordinary people, if truly compared, only those few deans who ended the dark ages and founded the academy at the end of the first epoch could stand shoulder to shoulder with her.


    Until she met this teenager from Ximu Town who appeared out of nowhere.


    In fact, when she left the "The Magic of Fireball and Ice Arrow" for him back then, it was only because she saw him spending days in the town¡¯s library, seemingly dreaming of becoming a Transcendent. She never expected Ethan used just two years to reach his present level.


    She took four years back then to complete elemental ascension.


    The cat sneaked a glance at Ethan, the guy took two days!


    All felt a bit irritating.


    Although there are quite a few cases in the academy where students surpass teachers, Ethan¡¯s unreasonable rise speed made her quite embarrassed.


    Ave also got the point, her eyes were almost wide open, "You mean, he is also...!?"


    She couldn¡¯t speak the rest.


    The blonde hair on her head pointed at Ethan, as if shouting, "What situation, aren¡¯t we supposed to be same level buddies?"


    Ave carefully stared at Ethan, whose face was distorted by the cat¡¯s grip, recalling his quirky thinking and unbelievable behavior, she was quite reluctant to accept the reality.


    Which Saint acts like this?


    Even the Empire¡¯s nobles are extremely respectful when meeting Saints, inviting a Saint over as a guest would be a bright moment, spreading in high social circles for months, raising one¡¯s status significantly.


    Back then, to get rid of Lindong, the Iron-handed Chief Judge and the Pope dared not confront her directly, only labeled her as an Evil God¡¯s follower, united several Saints to dare a challenge.


    This is really weird!


    It¡¯s like your usually nice subordinate is secretly a super expert.


    Ethan felt there are still loads of trivial matters to handle next, shouldn¡¯t have time wasted discussing his magic talents, "About Knight Commander Bi¡¯an¡¯s matter, what are your thoughts?"


    The cat responded, "The Empire¡¯s high ranks won¡¯t let her go, only death could reassure them."


    "Then, what do you think about fake death? However, the biggest issue truly is the broken oath."


    With Lindong¡¯s help, designing a fake death isn¡¯t difficult, but even if she survives, abandoning her subordinates, living a cowardly life, would almost certainly cause Bi¡¯an¡¯s oath break.


    Ethan considered perhaps Bi¡¯an didn¡¯t plan on surviving from the start.


    Her true intention seemed only to let her loyal followers stay far from the power struggle center of the imperial capital.


    It¡¯s a dilemma that made Ave hesitant several times.


    She wanted Bi¡¯an to live; she believed someone like Bi¡¯an, who served the Empire loyally, should survive.


    But she couldn¡¯t really help.


    After some contemplation, Ave suggested, "Why not just go and convince Sister Bi¡¯an, you seem pretty good at convincing people."


    "I thought about that too at first, but a knight¡¯s oath is more like a thought bond, fear it¡¯s not resolved by few words."


    Ethan felt troubled.


    The Knight Commander preferred dying fighting in a border town rather than defying the royal orders, knowing well in advance this was nobles and the church¡¯s open scheme, also aware how much the Empire had changed.


    "I have an idea about this matter."


    The knowledgeable cat showcased her reliable side, "but before that, I need to see your ascension magic."


    Each ascension magic has its unique characteristics, completing fire element ascension is far from just dazzling golden glows, "Don¡¯t you know what you did even in the third tier?"


    "...Haven¡¯t had time to study." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He drank three bottles of elixirs for a sharp mind back then, clearly his mental state wasn¡¯t normal.


    The cat sighed, considering Ethan hadn¡¯t been to the academy, undergone systematic study, many things were quite unknown, she explained, "You severed the connection between Bazatous and the pollution zone, causing the whole zone to collapse."


    If her speculation was correct, this is a feature that could make Ethan the enemy of all Transcendents and even Saints.


    "Since you can sever the connection between the Evil God and his acolytes, perhaps you can also cut the steely bonds a Knight Lord places on every follower."

 Chapter 83 - 82: Attending Physician Ethan

    Chapter 83: Chapter 82: Attending Physician EthanA moment later, inside the apartment bedroom.


    The door was locked, and Miss Keroy was still leaning against it, standing guard. Ethan stood by the window, his right hand bathed in a golden glow. He took a slightly nervous breath and said, "Ready? Here it comes."


    Upon hearing this, the ragdoll cat lying on the bedding tensed its body, moved its head to the other side, avoiding looking at him.


    With the cat¡¯s tacit approval, Ethan gently placed his palm on the cat¡¯s back, her white fur bristled almost immediately, her tail became tense and stood upright, the whole process lasted nearly thirty seconds, and the ragdoll cat collapsed onto the bedding, instinctively curling into a ball.


    "Meow~"


    Ethan heard a murmuring sound.


    Among the spectators was Ave, who held her breath, unable to tear her eyes away for even a second. For some reason, she found this scene inexplicably awkward, thinking about how the Empire¡¯s elite knights were patrolling everywhere, wary of the witch¡¯s arrival, completely unaware that the witch was right under their noses, lying on the bed, making "meow meow" sounds.


    Her imagination was running excessively wild, and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder what it would look like if the witch were in human form on the bed. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The tuft of hair on top of her head gave her forehead a hard flick.


    Damn Ave, why is your imagination so good!


    In reality, what she was witnessing was merely research in the fields of medicine and theology. The cat curled into a ball for a while, sounding a bit breathless, "I was right, the nature of this flame can sever the connection between humans and the Divine Spirit; my connection with the ice element was also weakened just now."


    The feeling of returning from a Transcendent to a human wasn¡¯t good, losing the supply of Magic Power made Lindong show signs of weakness in her limbs and mental confusion.


    This lying position, at the mercy of others, made her blush, but fortunately, she was in cat form now, so people couldn¡¯t see her embarrassed posture.


    Even her eyelids were almost unable to lift, with her chin resting on the bedding, she whispered, "Theoretically, you can sever the mark on Sister Bi¡¯an to block the impact of the broken oath on her, but there¡¯s only one chance."


    For Ethan, the boundary between a doctor and a butcher was just a thought away, once things were cut wrong, there was no chance for a redo.


    "You mean it¡¯s a very delicate task."


    Ave summarized on the side, after a brief shock, their mode of interaction returned to the past, they were old partners, the conversation came naturally, "Do you have confidence?"


    Perhaps because of how well they knew each other, she found it difficult to treat Ethan like a Saint.


    And Ethan didn¡¯t seem to care about these things, not like those lofty Saints who speak with airs.


    "Honestly, no."


    Ethan said frankly, up till now, all those who had been "cut" by his upgraded Fireball Skill had died, although their souls returned to a pre-distorted state at the last moment, that was not the result they wanted now.


    The cat¡¯s prompt suddenly made him feel immense pressure; if this surgical knife cut wrong and killed the Empire¡¯s Knight Commander, he could immediately win a title such as "Most Evil Terrorist" or "Death Surgeon".


    "I need some tips."


    "This is your Elemental Magic, only you are most familiar with their state, and only you have used them."


    The cat¡¯s voice remained light, still trembling a bit, "But as far as I know, knight¡¯s oath often stems from a memory significant to her, or something she treasures."


    Ethan rested his left hand on his chin, deep in thought, "Maybe asking her directly would be better."


    "Huh?"


    Ave couldn¡¯t keep up with Ethan¡¯s train of thought for a moment, but he explained earnestly, "Patients have to have discussions with their families and sign agreements before surgery at hospitals, especially for dangerous one-off surgeries; disclaimers are essential, just in case it¡¯s accidentally cut wrong..."


    "Not at all, where did you hear that?"


    Ave immediately denied the strange knowledge Ethan had picked up from somewhere; there were never any disclaimers in the noble hospitals of the Imperial Capital, if medical personnel cut something wrong during treatment for a big figure, they would usually get unlucky along with them, therefore, doctors rarely proposed risky treatment plans for nobles who were already critically ill when sent there.


    She continued, "Besides, given Sister Bi¡¯an¡¯s current state, she wouldn¡¯t be able to answer your questions, would she?"


    The knights said the Knight Commander was unconscious due to coldness entering her body and was currently resting next door at Ave¡¯s apartment.


    "This is a preventative anesthetic method, as long as the anesthesia is removed, the Knight Commander¡¯s robust physique will soon wake her up."


    Ethan flexed his wrists, trying hard to recall the surgeons he had seen in big hospitals before.


    "Anesthesia?"


    Ave didn¡¯t know why, although she knew Ethan was talking nonsense, she somehow thought he had a point, never understanding where he learned these odd pieces of knowledge, she nodded, "Then let¡¯s do as you said."


    "No time to lose, let¡¯s do rounds now."


    To enhance the surgery¡¯s success rate, Ethan was attempting to boost his confidence through the method of "role-play," a technique created by the followers of the Hunting Goddess Cynthia, where Hunters typically gain unusual strength by impersonating beasts, and today, he was impersonating a surgeon.


    You are a surgeon, up till now you¡¯ve treated hundreds of patients, including prominent figures like Yakwell, all of whom have highly praised the treatment results...


    Ethan walked ahead, muttering to himself, Ave followed behind him, straining her ears to listen but remained unclear about what exactly he was mumbling.


    The two returned to Ave¡¯s apartment, and before pushing open the bedroom door, Sister Bi¡¯an was lying on the bed with her brows furrowed, her breathing sounded very irregular.


    Along the way, Ethan had already thought about the dialogue after the patient awakens, but all his preparations were interrupted by the silhouette of an uninvited guest in Ave¡¯s bedroom.


    Looking at the woman standing quietly by the window wearing a smiling mask, Ave almost instinctively drew her gun and sharply demanded, "Who are you, what are you doing here?"


    "Me?"


    A soft laugh came from beneath the mask, "I have a client who is very interested in the Knight Commander, hired me with a hefty sum to take her head, the commission didn¡¯t mention your names, so while I¡¯m in a good mood today, I¡¯ll allow you to leave quietly."


    But the next second, the woman couldn¡¯t laugh.


    Because she saw Ethan suddenly rushing at her like a ghost, screaming loudly.


    "Take this, Chakra Scalpel!"

 Chapter 84 - 83: If one does not act for oneself, heaven and earth will bring ruin

    Chapter 84: Chapter 83: If one does not act for oneself, heaven and earth will bring ruinRegardless of what happened last night, today the sun still rises, and the people of Ximu Town welcome a bright morning.


    Lindong (in cat form), who hadn¡¯t closed her eyes all night, squinted and wrapped herself in the blanket, planning to have a good sleep. After all, she had accepted Ethan¡¯s invitation, and her pace of life should slow down a lot from now on, without needing to run around all day.


    However, before she could close her eyes, an annoying disturber of her sweet dreams appeared.


    The bedroom door was pushed open, and Ethan and Ave, who had just left not long ago, returned with a familiar face wearing a mournful expression.


    Her smile mask had been removed and confiscated, her hands bound behind her back, this time she couldn¡¯t even muster a smile.


    As soon as she saw Lindong nestled in bed with only her head exposed, the woman complained, "Oh my sister, what have you been teaching him!"


    "I¡¯m not your sister, and I don¡¯t have a sister like you."


    Lindong glanced at the woman without the slightest sympathy, not even intending to get out of bed.


    Ave stepped forward to explain the situation, "We discovered this sneaky woman; she intended to assassinate Sister Bi¡¯an. When we caught her, she claimed to know you, so we brought her here."


    This was supposed to be an encounter full of danger. As she pulled out her gun, she sensed the dangerous aura emanating from the woman, whose attitude seemed as if she didn¡¯t take them or the Knight Order stationed in the town seriously. Even after being caught, the woman arrogantly suggested she might consider sparing them.


    However, her confident demeanor didn¡¯t last more than three seconds before Ethan, shouting "Chakra Scalpel," stabbed her, and she fell straight to the ground, vividly demonstrating the meaning of "flop."


    Ave¡¯s sense of crisis was completely gone, and the golden hair on top of her head laughed so hard it bent over.


    If this woman hadn¡¯t anxiously shouted, "Spare me, I know your family¡¯s cat!" she might have been shot.


    Lindong couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with her anymore, saying, "You just handle it officially."


    Seeing the cat so heartless, the woman wailed even more, "Have you betrayed me? Was all our time as companions just a lie? And what exactly is this ¡¯Chakra Scalpel¡¯ you taught him? Why did I lose my magic abilities after being stabbed once?"


    As a Great Mage, even though she failed, she had a hundred ways to leave boldly in front of the two of them. Who would have thought a single hand chop and all her hundreds of spells were unusable?


    The woman, full of the desire to survive, pleaded, "For the sake of the times I helped you and the Baron¡¯s guards with divination, spare me! I won¡¯t charge for it anymore, and I¡¯ll overlook that little golden-haired girl over there bashing my head with her gun under the excuse of tying me up!"


    "Who are you, tell the truth!"


    Ave began the interrogation.


    The woman answered with a sorrowful face, "Rowena, my name is Rowena!"


    Ave frowned and thought for a long time but couldn¡¯t recall any records of this name. However, now it seems that Rowena claims to be Lindong¡¯s companion, which means she¡¯s another member mentioned in the intelligence about Dream Erosion.


    This type of ferocious Evil God fanatic should have a notorious reputation.


    "Are you lying to me?"


    Lindong not only didn¡¯t help but revealed Rowena¡¯s dark past without reservation, "¡¯Blood Feast,¡¯ that¡¯s the name on the wanted list."


    The Empire occasionally gives notorious criminals nicknames so that the Empire¡¯s residents can remember them.


    Upon learning Rowena¡¯s moniker, Ave¡¯s face changed subtly, and she blurted out, "You¡¯re the Great Mage who slaughtered the entire Astrologer¡¯s Guild and then went on the run!"


    It was one of the few heinous crimes in the Empire in recent years, involving the death of a Tier Four Mage and several Tier Three Mages. Due to the gruesome nature of the crime scene, the bodies of the deceased were sliced and scattered everywhere, the entire guild drenched in blood, so in the wanted poster, the Empire dubbed the mastermind of the major crime ¡¯Blood Feast.¡¯


    At the time, Ave was still a student of the Enlightenment Society, and this case was discussed at school for more than a month, with rumors that even the scholar came forward.


    The murderer vanished without a trace, and the case eventually remained unresolved.


    "They deserved it."


    Rowena stiffly said, "Since they wanted to steal the magic I created, I had no choice but to let them experience it firsthand... but that¡¯s all in the past now. I¡¯m just a magician out to make money, and anyway, if I wanted to, I could have succeeded before you came in. I was just hesitating, even though your cat warned me not to get involved in this, but they offered so much."


    Listening to Rowena¡¯s rapid-fire words, Ave was at a loss for words¡ªhow could someone talk so much nonsense, almost rivaling Ethan!


    The continuous self-justification continued, "These days, if you don¡¯t look out for yourself, you¡¯re doomed. Once I save enough money, I¡¯ll stop. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m doing anything terribly wrong."


    "What kind of Evil God¡¯s follower are you?"


    Ave couldn¡¯t help herself. She had never heard of an Evil God¡¯s follower talking about retirement.


    "Who said I¡¯m a follower of the Evil God? I can¡¯t get along with those people. They just want to cause trouble all day, don¡¯t earn money, eat food that¡¯s like pig slop, and live in stinking caves¡ªaren¡¯t they sick! My magic requires a fee, and it¡¯s not cheap!"


    For a moment, Ave was out of ideas, tossing this hot potato to Ethan, "You¡¯re the one who caught her, do what you think is best."


    Hearing this, Rowena quickly pleaded with Ethan, "You can¡¯t kill me, I¡¯m good friends with your cat, gave her lots of advice. Even if I didn¡¯t contribute, I worked hard since you live together now!"


    "Was your employer the Lofic Consortium?"


    Ethan too was a bit at a loss, Rowena¡¯s words came too fast, and having not slept all night, he felt as if two birds were chirping non-stop by his ears.


    However, her previous words suddenly gave Ethan a bizarre premonition.


    "Employer information is confidential, I¡¯m a person of principles!"


    "Did they give you three magic scrolls, instructing you to use them only as a last resort?"


    "How do you know?" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You¡¯ve been played, they never intended to pay you, and they¡¯re setting you up to be killed."


    When handing over the Fireball Skill scroll to the Lofic Consortium, Ethan strongly emphasized that the scroll involved forbidden knowledge that could only unleash its full power in a state of utter desperation.


    They needed to find someone willing to risk their life.


    Clearly, Rowena did not meet those criteria. She was out to earn money, practically had "afraid of dying" written on her face.


    Hence, Ethan suspected that the Lofic Consortium hadn¡¯t communicated his instructions to Rowena, but then again, in these times, finding someone not only with the skills but also bold enough to attempt to assassinate the Imperial Knight Commander wasn¡¯t easy.


    If you add in the criterion of "not afraid to die," even fewer would fit the bill.


    "You... don¡¯t try to sabotage the trust between me and my employer, they didn¡¯t even bat an eye when they paid the down payment."


    "Did they tell you the scrolls would ensure your survival even in danger?"


    "That¡¯s just a precaution."


    "Why don¡¯t you try using them now?"


    Ethan untied the ropes binding Rowena¡¯s arms. She was so startled she even stuttered, "Are, are you crazy? These magic scrolls were crafted by a master, aren¡¯t you afraid they¡¯ll burn down your house?"


    "Just use them."


    Rowena glanced at Lindong for help, seeing that the cat had already fallen asleep, she gritted her teeth, steeled her resolve, "This is on you. If your house burns down, I¡¯m not paying for it!"


    But to her, the bigger the blaze, the better. Her blocked magic power was recovering, and once she lit the house, she planned to escape in the chaos.


    The three scrolls torn open burst into bright flames, and the fire drew a few elegant arcs in the air, converging above Rowena¡¯s head like a splendid fireworks display, which then, with a "bang," formed a line of words.


    ¡ª"Happy Birthday!"

 Chapter 85 - 84: Bounty Hunter

    Chapter 85: Chapter 84: Bounty HunterRowena¡¯s face alternated between green and white, while the fire element played a cheerful birthday song for her.


    Today was neither her birthday, nor did she feel happy at all.


    According to the agent, this Fireball Skill scroll was a masterpiece. If faced with an unavoidable situation, it could help her escape certain death.


    Escape my foot! The thought of activating this Magic in a real crisis made Rowena¡¯s face darken.


    "Now do you understand? If your assassination doesn¡¯t go smoothly, they want to make sure you die here, never allowing you to reveal them during interrogation."


    In the Empire, the most serious charge is fraternizing with the Evil God¡¯s Followers. If Rowena, defeated, is taken to the imperial capital and can present solid evidence at the trial, the church has ample reason to strike against the Lofic Consortium.


    Although having dealings with the fanatical organization of the Evil God is nothing new in the current environment, the bottom line is not to get caught. As for some rumors circulating among the populace, who can really discern the truth?


    Rowena felt a pang, "How, how do you know?"


    "Because I made the scroll." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You? Oh, so it was you! You make such scrolls without feeling a prick of conscience?"


    Rowena¡¯s rich imagination led her to imagine a parallel universe where she was tragically killed by this fire element scroll.


    "Of course not, because I made it specifically to trap people."


    Ethan¡¯s candid admission left Rowena stunned. She pointed at Ethan for a while but was at a loss for words.


    He specifically instructed the users not to activate the scroll unless absolutely necessary for this reason. He commissioned the fire element to play a birthday song for the unnamed warrior, so that after the action failed they had an excuse¡ªit¡¯s because the assassin they sent was incompetent and got killed before unleashing the scroll¡¯s true power.


    He just didn¡¯t expect the Lofic Consortium¡¯s outsourcing to eventually land on Rowena.


    "But I¡¯m not out to trap just anyone. I emphasized to them to find someone with a death wish ready to undertake this mission."


    Rowena clearly didn¡¯t fit this description.


    He thought this girl was more like a Bounty Hunter than an Evil God¡¯s Follower.


    "Fine, I admit it!"


    Rowena, in despair, plopped down on the floor, finally making one last futile attempt to explain herself, "Even though you might not believe it, I hadn¡¯t made up my mind to act¡ªI was still hesitating when you broke in... Please, don¡¯t rush to act yet, let me think it through, even in death one should understand what¡¯s happening."


    She calmly reflected and found the situation overly complicated. Initially, the Elder Council had ordered no one to be spared, meaning that besides the other party, the Knight Order she came with to Ximu Town should also be killed without exception. She passed the message to her partner and received a reply advising her not to meddle.


    A day later, a letter was privately sent to her by the Lofic Consortium¡¯s messenger. Attached were three Magic scrolls, targeting the Knight Commander¡¯s head. As for the knights¡¯ fate, nothing specific was mentioned.


    Before this, they had cooperated many times.


    When she received the letter, Rowena secretly rejoiced, thinking of it as easy money¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t need to do anything. Once Lindong kills everyone, she just needs to respond to the letter and count her money gleefully.


    Suddenly, she slapped the floor, "So many people want her dead, yet she¡¯s still alive and kicking. That¡¯s ridiculous!"


    With her thoughts clear now, Rowena pinpointed the blame on the cat curled up on the bed, "I get it, the problem lies with you. If you had directly killed her, there wouldn¡¯t be all these issues afterward. Now I understand, I¡¯ve been killed by you. Ah! The old saying is indeed true, betrayal by comrades is the hardest to guard against!"


    "I¡¯ve warned you."


    The cat replied coldly, not planning to take on Rowena¡¯s blame.


    Rowena ignored the cat¡¯s response, sprawled on the ground in a relaxed posture, spoke her final words to her former comrade, "But don¡¯t forget, I treated you to meals 71 times, you only treated me back 67 times¡ªyou still owe me 1 Gold Lion and 37 Silver Antelopes."


    "I never said I¡¯d kill you."


    Ethan shook his head helplessly; this girl was truly obsessed with money.


    After Rowena¡¯s musings, he finally understood¡ªthe Elder Council¡¯s no-survivor commission was from the church faction. Afterward, the Lofic Consortium indirectly found Rowena, finding out in the end it was all the same group, which indeed was quite ludicrous.


    Upon hearing this, hope rekindled in Rowena¡¯s eyes, "Really? You¡¯ll spare me, and I¡¯ll treat you to a meal. But best if it doesn¡¯t exceed 1 Gold Lion."


    "Not only will I not kill you, but I also have a way for you to earn the bounty, as long as you cooperate with our plan."


    "Is that true!"


    Rowena, thrilled, sprang up from the floor and rushed to Ethan, only to be stopped by the cat¡¯s icy glare.


    "I, Old Sen, am always true to my word."


    "Great, I¡¯ll treat you to breakfast; how about toast with eggs?"


    Rowena¡¯s arrival was quite the unexpected boon. If they managed to sever the other party¡¯s seal, everything would be over.


    This should lead to a result that satisfies everyone.


    The other party¡¯s subordinates survived, and she "died" at the Empire¡¯s border. Afterward, the wheels of history would start turning, allowing them to focus on research in magic technology.


    "Don¡¯t get too happy just yet. I¡¯m unfamiliar with magic. Is there any magic that allows a living person to appear dead in full view?"


    "Phantom Technique¡ªbut if you want to make it more realistic, you¡¯ll need a transformation potion."


    Rowena quickly grasped Ethan¡¯s intention, "I can use magic and a magic potion to make a scarecrow look identical to the Knight Commander. Then, in front of her subordinates, I¡¯ll use slicing magic to tear the scarecrow into pieces, making everyone think she¡¯s dead!"


    Of course, at that point, they would also need her performance to achieve a complete "show effect."


    Ethan ultimately didn¡¯t accept Rowena¡¯s invitation to the town¡¯s tavern for toast and eggs. When he left, he clarified with the knights, stating upon their investigation, Rowena was merely a divination master passing through Ximu Town.


    His solo venture into the polluted area was already spreading among the knights, surviving the Lindong Witch further added to his legendary status. Now the knights spoke to him with respect; if not for the town¡¯s impending crisis, they might have invited Ethan to the tavern for a drink¡ªknights¡¯ way of socializing.


    Captain Hagrid, though never becoming a formal knight, mastered the social etiquette.


    After handling Rowena¡¯s situation, there was no need for Ethan to guard against other assassins appearing in the town.


    He once again entered the other party¡¯s room, and in Ave¡¯s presence, expelled the cold element invading her body, causing the other party¡¯s closed eyelids to twitch several times, and she nearly awakened immediately.


    She stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment, then quickly noticed Ave keeping watch by the bed.


    "I want bread and grilled sausage."


    This was the first thing she said upon awakening.

 Chapter 86 - 85: Located Above the High Heavens

    Chapter 86: Chapter 85: Located Above the High HeavensThe first thing Sister Bi¡¯an did upon waking up was eat.


    For the first time in his life, Ethan saw someone who could eat so much, even more astonishing than Miss Keroy. Her subordinates were already accustomed to it. Knowing that the Knight Commander had awakened, they rushed to the town¡¯s taverns and restaurants, bringing piles of food to the apartment, forming a small mountain.


    The knights, who had been downcast, regained their morale, as if they had completely forgotten the defeat in Riverside Town.


    Ave volunteered to act as a mediator.


    This persuasion lasted until evening. They talked a lot, from recent events in the town to the future of the Empire. Finally, seeing the opportune moment, she extended an invitation to Bi¡¯an.


    The faked death plan meant that Bi¡¯an could neither return to the Imperial Capital nor follow her subordinates back to the Neseriel Sanctuary; she was destined to live a hidden life. Since there was nowhere else to go, it would be better to stay in Ximu Town, so they could look out for each other.


    By evening, the two knocked on Ethan¡¯s study door. At this moment, Ethan had spent the entire day in meditation training to increase the success rate of the "surgery."


    "Sister Bi¡¯an said she has a request."


    After entering, Ave spoke directly, hesitating before pushing Bi¡¯an forward, "You might as well say it yourself."


    "Ethan, I heard a lot about you from Ave, including your dealings in Fireplace Bay."


    Bi¡¯an looked serious, and as the Imperial Knight Commander, occasionally showing such an expression was quite commanding, making Ethan tense up. Recently, he had been dreaming of being invited for tea by men in black for smuggling dangerous goods and tax evasion.


    The solemn and heavy atmosphere did not last long. As Bi¡¯an spoke again, it was completely shattered. "To be frank, I want to ride the Big Ice Bird you made."


    This is the dream of every knight. Fully aware of the surgical risks, she continued, "That way, I can die with a smile."


    Ethan thought Bi¡¯an was a complete pessimist. As the saying goes, patients should be more optimistic, which can be helpful for their condition.


    "I can fulfill your request, but it must wait for an appropriate time. Let¡¯s discuss the details of the surgery first."


    "Then you better hurry up."


    Bi¡¯an raised her right hand in front of the two, trying to gather energy in her palm. The white light barely formed before it disintegrated. Her face turned slightly pale, yet she still forced a smile, optimistically saying, "I don¡¯t know how long I can hold on, because this is my first time breaking an oath."


    Ave jumped in shock and quickly asked, "How can this be? When did it start?"


    She had talked with Bi¡¯an for a long time without noticing anything unusual.


    "Little Ave, faith is very idealistic."


    When she accepted Ave¡¯s proposal and an anonymous future, she was no longer needed by the Holy Hall or the Empire. The great Knight Lords would not tolerate such self-depraved behavior.


    Bi¡¯an, as before, patted Ave on the head, saying, "However, for me now, it¡¯s quite liberating to be without identity and power."


    "Let¡¯s save the discouraging words until after the surgery."


    Ethan stood up, his right hand once again bathed in golden light. Now was the moment to test the results of his day-long meditation training.


    The key was the oath Bi¡¯an had made for the Empire.


    He placed his hand on Bi¡¯an¡¯s shoulder. In an instant, his vision twisted, and an invisible, seemingly higher-dimensional force swept him into a place he had never been. But the moment Ethan arrived, he knew it was the Royal City of the Imperial Capital.


    Finding this place was not difficult, for while speaking with them earlier, Bi¡¯an¡¯s heart was subjected to the interrogation of the oath again and again.


    She stood on the inner city¡¯s walls, beside a towering figure in golden armor, who was looking down at the scenery below the walls¡ªthis is his country.


    In fact, King Henry VI was the Empire¡¯s strongest knight. In his youth, he led his army to exterminate dragons rampaging at the Empire¡¯s borders and was awarded the title of Dragon Slayer Warrior by the Holy Hall. As a Saint, people once believed the Empire would usher in another Golden Era.


    "Bi¡¯an."


    The master of the Empire did not linger his gaze on her but instead examined the familiar streets and faces below the city walls, "Can I entrust this country to you?"


    This was what happened when she was appointed Imperial Knight Commander.


    Ethan could somewhat understand the weight of these words for Bi¡¯an and even feel the joy of a knight¡¯s value being recognized.


    The knight¡¯s duty is to protect, and everything visible here is what she must guard.


    But Ethan knew the real crux did not stem from their conversation but from something above, something that witnessed the oath.


    Ethan looked up at the sky, seeing an endless blue. When the oath was made, it¡¯s as if invisible eyes scrutinized them. This felt very similar to the feeling he had in the Tier 3 area of the contaminated zone, except without the highly spiritually polluted twisted creations.


    "You have broken the oath."


    At this moment, an unseen presence made the final judgment on Bi¡¯an.


    Bi¡¯an seemed to hear that voice, yet she appeared neither to intend to defend herself nor to feel that any defense would be futile before it.


    Fighting to the last moment for what needs protecting, even if it has become filthy beyond recognition, this is a knight¡¯s destiny.


    At that moment, Ethan saw it clearly.


    A giant hand descended from the clouds, constructed from silver-white light, reaching straight toward Bi¡¯an on the city wall.


    "From this moment, you are expelled from the Holy Hall."


    Bi¡¯an¡¯s body trembled uncontrollably atop the wall. Despite her efforts to maintain a smile, her eyebrows knit tightly in pain. Something was stripped from her body, shrouded in silvery-white light, resembling the power of a knight, or perhaps her soul.


    Ethan gradually understood everything. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Or more accurately, he found where to make the incision.


    The silver-white light was tainted with a touch of golden, and a cut stopped the hand¡¯s descent.


    Ethan didn¡¯t intend to stand up and argue for Bi¡¯an or decry the Empire¡¯s decay. He knew that to those beings above, human arguments were as insignificant as insect cries.


    So to make them hear the voice from the human world, he had to take more direct measures.


    The golden cut did not dissipate but continued expanding, spanning across the sky.


    Until the sky was cut apart.

 Chapter 87 - 86: The one being attacked is you

    Chapter 87: Chapter 86: The one being attacked is youThe surgery was a success.


    When Ethan¡¯s gaze returned to the study, Ave was drenched in cold sweat. The fearless Imperial Knight Commander, for once, showed an expression of terror. She gasped for a long while before exclaiming, "You¡ªyou actually attacked the Knight Lord!"


    Ave could never have imagined that the "surgery" Ethan mentioned would be such a disrespectful act.


    She breached her oath, thus faced judgment and was expelled from the Holy Hall.


    The procedures of these judgments are recorded in the knight manual, and everyone learns about oath-breaking on the first day of their knightly path.


    The giant hand would take away her power, which was the might of the Knight Lord.


    Attacking a proper god is tantamount to declaring war on the Neseriel Sanctuary and even the entire Empire!


    "He attacked first."


    Ethan argued, "This is self-defense."


    "That¡¯s nonsense, there¡¯s no justification at all. The knight¡¯s power is the lord¡¯s grace, and He has the right to take it back!"


    Ave was deeply afraid. If Ethan¡¯s actions angered the Knight Lord, she couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of wrath their god would unleash; it wouldn¡¯t just be about reclaiming power at that point.


    The divine punishment would indiscriminately affect everyone, and maybe even the entire Ximu Town would be destroyed!


    "You have a point, but didn¡¯t you hear what He just said?"


    Ethan took on the role of a bystander to help Ave analyze. He had always been a reasonable person. "If you were still a knight of the Holy Hall, as your attending physician I naturally have no standing to meddle in your internal affairs. But when He announced you were expelled from the Holy Hall, the nature of it changed¡ªyou became a free person. So as the attending physician of a free person, it¡¯s quite normal to help a patient reclaim what was taken."


    He had his own theory, "When I acted, you were no longer a member of the Holy Hall, so this matter is entirely a personal dispute."


    This is akin to acts of heroism and kindness, akin to drawing one¡¯s sword to help when seeing injustice on the road, one of the knight¡¯s virtues. The great Knight Lord should be praising his actions.


    "Aren¡¯t you afraid of divine punishment?"


    Ave thought Ethan was more mad than any evil god cultist she had ever seen. Those fanatics only engaged in live sacrifices and anti-Empire activities, whereas Ethan directly attacked a proper god!


    "Not anymore."


    In the past two years, Ethan had been very cautious, precisely because of many tales related to divine punishment among the people. He was afraid of being targeted by the divine spirits.


    However, a series of recent encounters changed his thinking, and he asked, "If there really was divine punishment, would the Empire have fallen to this state?"


    Knights and the church both worship proper gods. What they preach is all about positive values, so if there was any divine punishment, Ethan thought the first to be struck by lightning would be the current Pope and those high nobles blinded by power. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If there was divine punishment, the adherents of the evil god performing live sacrifices should have been struck by lightning from the first moment. Then he wouldn¡¯t have had to delve into the third tier of the contaminated area, bringing upon himself so many troubles. He personally witnessed a group of evil god cultists in the second tier chanting "the proper god is dead", turning Riverside Town into a living hell, yet they were not punished by divine justice.


    Ethan hoped to live in a world with divine punishment, where everyone was a good person full of positive energy, allowing him to peacefully find a clerical job in the imperial capital as originally planned, saving money for retirement.


    This led him to wonder, "Could it be that these proper gods are only good at internal disputes, setting rules for their followers, striking hard internally, but turning a blind eye to the followers of evil gods and those who blaspheme against Them?"


    If that were the case, Ethan felt, to put it bluntly, his attack was justified.


    After all, he was an atheist before crossing over, and elemental magic is one of the few extraordinary paths that doesn¡¯t require belief in any divine spirit.


    His relationship with the elemental elves was more like that of brotherhood, where support comes from all sides when one is in trouble.


    "Ethan, Ethan! That¡¯s a statement fit for an evil god cultist..."


    Ave whispered a reminder, her golden hair already hidden in fear of being struck along with him if divine punishment descended.


    No, she thought even calling him an evil god cultist might not fully capture Ethan¡¯s earlier statement. Even when those heinous evil god cultists were sent to the execution platform, they only had grievances against the Empire¡¯s decay and the injustices they faced in the past, never directly questioning the proper gods.


    This was like the evil god Himself had arrived! If the people from the church heard this, they would definitely tie Ethan to the stake and burn him for ten days and nights!


    "That¡¯s a misunderstanding; I¡¯m always fair."


    Ethan shook his hand, "Before attacking the Knight Lord, I had already attacked Bazatous."


    This fully proved that he was a fair and objective person, who would not turn a blind eye to the anti-human sacrifices of evil god cultists due to witnessing the decay of the Empire, sliding unilaterally into becoming a follower of the evil god.


    He equally despised the followers of the evil god, feeling deeply that neither side was good.


    The bystanders were astounded; this guy actually called one of the evil gods by name!


    Ethan not only wasn¡¯t afraid of divine punishment, but he also didn¡¯t fear the curse of the evil gods; he seemingly attacked every deity equally and neutrally!


    Ave couldn¡¯t help but ask, "How did you attack the evil god? Did you curse Him or kill His followers?"


    "I dazzled Him with the Fireball Skill."


    Ave and Ethan exchanged glances, inwardly marveling at what a lawless lunatic this guy was!


    Ethan said, "But now isn¡¯t the time to discuss me, Knight Commander, how do you feel now? Was the surgery successful?"


    "Let me try."


    Ave felt complicated emotions; she could no longer sense the presence of the Knight Lord, the judgment of the oath-breaking had descended, and she was expelled from the Neseriel Sanctuary.


    However, when she attempted to gather energy, the silver-white radiance appeared once more.


    The holy light condensed into a sphere in her palm. Even without the Knight Lord¡¯s protection, it still brought peace to her heart.


    Yet, within that pure silver-white radiance, there seemed to be something unusual mixed in.


    She distinctly saw a blazing golden flame burning at the center of the light sphere.


    The sudden anomaly brought her no discomfort; instead, the agitation within her heart left her in a daze.


    Unspeakable emotions surged in Ave¡¯s heart, both sacred and intimate.


    As if facing the Knight Lord Himself directly.

 Chapter 88 - 87: The cat has plenty of mischievous thoughts

    Chapter 88: Chapter 87: The cat has plenty of mischievous thoughtsIn the following days, Ethan ate and drank as usual. As he expected, everything remained calm, and no freak accident occurred of lightning striking him as soon as he stepped out the door. During this time, he visited the Magic Scroll Shop several times and solemnly introduced the Cat Assistant Manager to the staff. He also spent two nights replenishing a large number of Ice Arrow Scrolls to continue selling them at the bay.


    The reputation of Heisenberg spread faster than he had imagined. Now, the entire bay was talking about him selling high-purity Ice Arrow Scrolls.


    Although he completely didn¡¯t understand how Elemental Magic was related to purity, the many adventurers who frequently visited Fireplace Bay were eagerly waiting to buy from him. The price of an Ice Arrow Scroll had been driven up to the level of Ten Golden Lions, and even so, the demand consistently outstripped supply.


    For the first time in his life, Ethan experienced the luxury of counting money at home while others practiced their Ice Arrow skills for him.


    In just a few days, his proficiency in Ice Arrow and Elemental Drawing had each increased by one level.


    According to his repeated observations and studies, he discovered that intermediate Elemental Drawing allowed him to no longer need to split the scroll into three parts. It also unlocked the "Imaging" function, enabling him to see in real-time when and where the scroll purchaser used it once the magic scroll was activated.


    Ethan didn¡¯t let himself sink into a life of ease; he quickly started new research.


    Having a girlfriend brought him the great advantage of being able to ask questions about anything he didn¡¯t understand. His girlfriend, having been a teacher at the academy, possessed an unsurpassed knowledge of the occult, akin to a walking encyclopedia.


    "Teacher, do you think those legendary Divine Spirits were originally just powerful Saints who arranged a set of rules for the paths they walked, and now people mistakenly regard them as Divine Spirits?"


    They might have already dispersed, or perhaps, for some reason, have hidden themselves in anomalous spaces similar to contaminated zones.


    As for addressing her as "Teacher," it was a title Ethan had thought of recently, feeling that directly calling Lindong by her name seemed too distant, a sentiment that Lindong appeared very satisfied with.


    When faced with a student¡¯s query, Lindong didn¡¯t respond directly. She savored the juicy fruits on her plate, held Ethan¡¯s gaze for a moment, then picked a fruit and brought it to his mouth.


    This was none other than the Knight Commander¡¯s coveted snow cherries, which Lindong demonstrated to Ethan had originated from the fruits of her own magic power!


    Whenever she was bored, she liked to "produce" a bowl of snow cherries for herself as a snack.


    With a cool, sweet taste, the chill seeped into him along his taste buds as if coursing through his veins.


    The proficiency of Ice Arrow increased by 1 point. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This astonished Ethan the most, that eating the fruits produced by his teacher could actually enhance his Ice Arrow skills. Considering his current affinity for the ice element was already at the fourth stage, achieving each proficiency increase through normal practice would require casting dozens of Ice Arrows.


    Despite numerous attempts under the guidance of his teacher, Ethan ultimately found no success.


    In the domain of producing fruits, he had no talent whatsoever, unable to produce either snow cherries or dragon fruits.


    "That¡¯s a very interesting idea."


    Lindong firstly affirmed Ethan¡¯s quirky idea, thoroughly enjoying watching him conduct his research as she snacked on the fruits. The longer they spent together, the more she felt Ethan possessed an intriguing soul, always capable of uttering statements that could get other transcendents from different paths so provoked they might want to tie him onto a stake for a barbeque.


    In just a few days, he already began to question the authenticity of other Divine Spirits.


    "But I can¡¯t answer your question. You need to consult books from other paths. Often, only books involving forbidden knowledge will mention details related to the Divine Spirits."


    "But since it¡¯s forbidden knowledge, they probably wouldn¡¯t share it for us to see, right?"


    To delve deeper into his research, Ethan recently purchased numerous magic books of other paths from Fireplace Bay. Yet, reading them resulted in a superficial understanding, full of professional terminologies, without providing any effective assistance to his research.


    "Then we¡¯ll sneak a peek," Lindong suggested with a mischievous smile. "I¡¯ll keep watch at the door while you go in and take a look."


    "...Isn¡¯t that inappropriate?"


    "What¡¯s inappropriate about it? I¡¯ve read all the forbidden books at the academy. Although many didn¡¯t interest me, the more the teachers emphasized not reading them, the more I wanted to. It¡¯s exhilarating! Just imagine; the teacher could burst in at any moment, and you can only seize every second to absorb the knowledge above!"


    The more Lindong spoke, the more excited she became, a flush appearing on her cheeks. Her reading efficiency as a student was honed in this way.


    Seeing Ethan at a loss for words, Lindong continued, "You must appreciate it, back then, I couldn¡¯t find anyone to watch my back. If the academy teachers found out, not only would I have to write an apology, but the class would lose points too."


    Ethan could easily imagine that Lindong¡¯s teachers must have had a love-hate relationship with her.


    With unparalleled elemental magic talent, she almost won all the honors during her student years, only to turn it around by violating school rules and regulations, getting everything deducted back.


    Lying in bed one night, Lindong had proudly told him that she fainted their Elemental Magic Theory teacher three times in public. Even several years after her graduation, at the mention of her name, the elderly professor would blow his beard, glare, and turn beet red.


    Ethan had to point out that Lindong¡¯s appearance could be quite deceiving.


    With white hair and red eyes, adept in ice element magic, and always adorned with the "genius" title, she gave everyone the first impression of an aloof highland flower. Yet, being with her for a long time revealed her mischievous nature, capable of coming up with schemes after schemes.


    Take for instance a few days ago, when the Knight Commander, upon learning about the origins of snow cherries, sought her out to ask for some. In turn, she proposed a game with the Knight Commander.


    In the dish were six snow cherries, but only one was real, while the other five would freeze a person¡¯s tongue.


    Ethan could only be thankful that this cunning cat hadn¡¯t played this Russian roulette-like cruel game with him.


    "By the way, don¡¯t go to Fireplace Bay tonight. I¡¯ll watch your shop for you."


    Lindong suddenly said.


    "Why? You¡¯re not planning some prank again, are you?"


    Ethan immediately grew wary, and Lindong pretended to be hurt, saying indignantly, "When you were sleeping in, the Knight Commander came by saying they¡¯re setting off tonight. Aren¡¯t you going to watch the fake death scenario you¡¯ve planned for so long? How can you speak of your teacher like this, you bad student!"


    To showcase her disappointment, with a "poof," Lindong disappeared.


    A white ragdoll cat landed on the desk. After meowing once, it lifted its head, turned away, leaving only its drooping tail for Ethan to see.

 Chapter 89 - 88:

    Chapter 89: Chapter 88: "Ancient" TechnologySometimes Ethan couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Lindong was a human turned cat, or a cat turned human. Recently, whenever she suddenly turned into a cat-like form, it meant she was about to pounce on someone.


    Nuzzling people, and the knack for pushing and nudging on others¡ªwhere on earth did she learn that from?


    In the evening, before heading out, Ethan tidied up his clothes, which had been messed up by the cat. The cat replaced him in running the shop at Fireplace Bay, while he headed straight towards the deep mountains outside of Ximu Town. Lately, Ave hadn¡¯t been idle either; she activated every connection she could muster and, after pleading with significant figures, finally managed to find an airship.


    The airship would arrive tonight, carrying the Empire¡¯s knights back to their Holy Hall.


    Ethan found the technological tree of this world extremely odd; in a time when most warfare still relied on horses and muskets, airships, these high-tech creations, had already been invented. Recently, he had heard that the Empire¡¯s so-called "Sword of Damocles" Golden Fleet was not a fleet of ships but a group of airships equipped with firepower capable of leveling a city in a short amount of time.


    Listening to Teacher Cat¡¯s descriptions, he subconsciously thought of something like the Kilov Airship.


    But the most ridiculous part was that the people of the Empire referred to these as "ancient technology" ¡ª the Golden Fleet was a creation of the Sixth Era, produced during the founding of the Empire by the first King. Since then, the Empire had experienced six long-reigning kings, yet not only had there been no technological progress, but there had also been regression.


    Nowadays, the people of the Empire commonly refer to the era at the founding of the Empire as the Golden Age, dreaming of returning the Empire to its former glory. They believe that modern technological creations cannot match ancient technology at all.


    Teacher Cat believed the fundamental reason was that after the heroes who founded the Empire passed away one by one, their successors, though inheriting their titles, were less capable with each generation, to the point that they have now become complete parasites, concerned only with their reputation.


    After a long journey, Ethan finally found Ave and her... campsite on a hilltop.


    "What are you doing?"


    When they met, the tent was already set up. Ave found a clearing at the edge of the cliff, wrapped herself tightly in a sleeping bag, exposing only her head outside. Her gear was complete, and she had also brought a pot of meat soup, canned fruit, sour cream, and a platter of four types of bread. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the ground lay a book about magic technology, and she didn¡¯t even bother to extend her hand out of the sleeping bag; the golden hair on top of her head was surprisingly capable of flipping the pages.


    It looked like she was camping.


    "Studying, aren¡¯t you working on magic technology? I¡¯ve never dealt with these things before."


    Ave yawned, as usual, sporting obvious dark circles under her eyes.


    Ethan¡¯s words opened up a new world for her, and she suddenly became intensely interested in magic technology. This book, which she bought from Fireplace Bay, kept her up for several nights in a row.


    This made her realize they weren¡¯t pioneers on this path. Early in the founding of the Empire, craftsmen had organized the Mystical Alliance, which was a group comprising Elemental Shapers, magicians, Alchemists, Demon Hunters, and other such paths. The Great Craftsmen believed that everyone¡¯s cognitive level was limited, and only by gathering everyone¡¯s wisdom could their research move forward.


    The initial scholars proposed many ideas regarding magic technology, laying a solid foundation for those who followed.


    Ave thought if the predecessors knew that their descendants quickly broke up the organization due to school disputes, they would be so furious they¡¯d crawl out of their graves to strangle them.


    "Pass me a grape."


    Ave suddenly said, and before Ethan could respond, the tuft of golden hair on her head rolled a grape from the fruit tray right to Ave¡¯s mouth.


    This golden hair could actually extend and retract!


    Ethan was completely captivated by the multifunctional golden hair; it even turned its "tip" to proudly pose at him. He had to wonder if this tuft of golden hair was some kind of ancient technological artifact.


    "Don¡¯t just stand there like an idiot; there¡¯s a box in my tent. Open it; there¡¯s a gift I prepared for you inside."


    "Roger, chief!"


    He wasn¡¯t sure if it was just an illusion, but he felt Ave had become increasingly lively recently. Previously, this small-town sheriff perfectly matched his stereotypical impression of a God of Truth follower.


    Ethan couldn¡¯t understand where Ave had found this treasure chest that looked just like something from an RPG adventure game. Opening it, he found six neatly arranged gray opaque crystals inside.


    "These are energy-storing crystals, only available on the black market in Fireplace Bay, extremely limited in quantity and high in demand."


    Ave¡¯s voice floated into the tent from outside, "These are one of the unique minerals of the Empire; all crystal veins across various regions are firmly controlled by mining companies under consortiums. After being mined, they¡¯re directly sent for processing and production in factories like the Imperial Military Industry. These are smuggled goods of unknown origin."


    By right, what they were doing also counted as illegal activity.


    The Empire¡¯s laws clearly stipulated that citizens could not mine energy-storing crystal veins, privately store unprocessed energy-storing crystals, or trade them.


    But Ave had already come to terms with it: compared to Ethan attacking a seated god, these crimes were insignificant.


    "If you want to study magic technology, you must solve the problem of sourcing energy-storing crystals. Buying a few here and there isn¡¯t a big issue, but if a large purchase is needed, it will undoubtedly attract the attention of the consortium and the Empire¡¯s upper echelons."


    Ave stated.


    In the books she recently read, almost every speculation about magic technology required consuming energy-storing crystals as a fundamental material.


    "That is indeed a conundrum."


    Ethan picked up a crystal from inside and sat not far from Ave to study it carefully.


    This thing was indeed rare. In the two years he spent at the Guild in Ximu Town, meeting all sorts of people, he had never seen anyone handling such an item, nor was there any commission related to energy-storing crystals on record.


    "This book is quite fascinating. Once I finish, I could lend it to you."


    Despite the many specialized terms in the book and handwritten nature, many of the attached conceptual diagrams and sketches were indistinguishable from doodles, making it utterly perplexing what it aimed to express. Still, it seemed to take her into a bizarre world; this sense of exploration filled with the unknown was captivating and furthered her understanding of the Empire¡¯s situation.


    The Great Craftsman who wrote this book was the Empire¡¯s first ¡¯scholar¡¯ and a Great Mage of the Astrology Association. He compared the relationship between magicians and Elemental Shapers to a carriage¡ªElemental Shapers acting as the wheels, addressing all essential energy issues for research, while magicians served as the driver, determining the destination of the carriage.


    Ave deemed this an intriguing metaphor.


    More intriguingly, "later, the driver and the carriage got into a fight, knocking all the wheels off."

 Chapter 90 - 89: The Knight鈥檚 Demise

    Chapter 90: Chapter 89: The Knight¡¯s Demise Ave felt that history was a cycle, and people seemed never able to learn any lessons from it. After the magicians ostracized the Elemental Shapers from the Empire, the knights of the Neseriel Sanctuary were also expelled from the country. The voices that could be heard grew fewer, until, ultimately, there was only one voice left.


    As a native of the Empire, she felt she should do something, but she vaguely sensed that voice. They would declare her a follower of the Evil God and, like the others, tie her to a pyre and burn her alive¡ªbefore she left the capital, the Judicial Court and the church had done just that, and she had witnessed countless executions herself.


    She seemed to understand the feelings of the Lindong Witch somewhat, and inevitably began to dislike the events unfolding in the capital at that moment.


    But this feeling didn¡¯t last long and was soon interrupted by a sharp and intense headache.


    These thoughts were very dangerous.


    An echo from the void warned her.


    Before long, a squad of knights traveling through the forest came closer, and the airship Ave had hired at a high cost was already waiting at the designated spot. It was said to be operated by a transportation agency run by an anthropoid race, one of the few neutral organizations the Empire could contact. They usually conducted their business outside the Empire¡¯s borders, and while they were originally reluctant, Ave offered them too much to refuse.


    The red-scaled lizardman greeted the knights from afar, signaling them to board the airship. The beast¡¯s instinct always made him feel that the mountain forest was steeped in gloom, and that something bad was bound to happen.


    Everything proceeded as planned. Ethan¡¯s subordinates hadn¡¯t discovered that she had broken her vow in recent days, which made Ethan increasingly believe that the Divine Spirit was just an ascension rule summarized by predecessors. If the Knight Lord truly existed, even if he did not send Divine Punishment as a warning, he should at least inform everyone of the oath-breaking incident by the shores.


    Under Ethan¡¯s command, the knights gradually boarded the airship¡¯s deck.


    Immediately, a thundering sound came from deep within the forest. The experienced lizardman captain sensed something amiss and cursed promptly, ordering his crew to activate the kinetic crystal on the airship. He didn¡¯t care what was coming out of the forest.


    This should be Rowena.


    According to the plan they had discussed, to avoid the airship being destroyed by Rowena¡¯s slicing magic, she chose to stay behind alone to block the enemy. The knights¡¯ last sight was of her triggering an old wound during battle, giving the opponent an opportunity to seize, and dying by Rowena¡¯s hand, one move behind.


    The news of the Knight Commander¡¯s death would quickly spread in the Sanctuary and Empire. Amidst mourning her, the forces eager for movement should reveal their fangs.


    "I hadn¡¯t expected Rowena¡¯s magic performance to be so strong."


    Ethan marveled; even from this distance, he could feel the ground¡¯s vibration, as if a thousand troops came to intercept the Knight Order.


    Ethan leaped off the deck just before the airship left the ground, sending his subordinates a reassuring glance.


    Under the moonlight, a figure riding a broom rushed from the forest.


    She wore a smiling mask, and her long black hair danced wildly with the wind.


    The airship was ascending further from the ground.


    Ethan stood on the open ground, pulling out her gun and sword with imposing momentum, but quickly frowned¡ªthis Rowena, why wasn¡¯t she following the scripted arrangement?


    As an Evil God follower, shouldn¡¯t she calmly stand under the moonlight and announce her presence with powerful slicing magic never seen before by the knights? Yet Rowena seemed fully immersed in her role, with a frantic expression that didn¡¯t look staged.


    The ground¡¯s tremors grew stronger. Ethan could sense that behind Rowena, something else was getting closer to them.


    "You bunch of damned traitors, you set me up!"


    As she got closer, Rowena gasped, shouting, "Raise the price! You must raise the price! I helped lure them here, preventing them from wreaking havoc on the town!"


    Rowena did not stop nor did she intend to fight Ethan; the broom skimmed past the ground, urging, "Stop fighting, hurry up and climb on!"


    Thanks to Ethan¡¯s agility, a collision was avoided.


    Just as Rowena darted out of the forest, Ethan finally saw what was causing the vibrations¡ªthe entities were moving rapidly beneath the surface, their distorted faces bulging grotesquely and twisted, a single face as large as a whole apartment building.


    This sight was even more terrifying from the knights¡¯ vantage point above ground. They watched as faces rolled on the surface, and as they emerged, bodies as vast as mountains came into view. The ground split apart, and the dense forest was flipped aside like toys by the giants.


    The Blood and Flesh Giant merely stood in place, enough to chill the bravest knight to the bone, as they struggled to envision how they should battle such frightful creations.


    Could blades or swords harm it?


    Bullets, perhaps?


    Or even magic scrolls?


    Panic on the deck persisted, and the knights quickly realized that more than one blood and flesh creation was emerging from the ground cracks, until the whole mountain was stained crimson.


    A knight, as if awakened from a dream, trembled as he asked, "The commander should have dodged them, right?"  Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone¡¯s expressions were grim, with no one answering his question.


    They stared at the land overtaken by the Blood and Flesh Giants in an instant, unable to see any area they could call safe.


    This was the last scene they saw, and the only thing they could do was let the airship take them away from this Nightmare as quickly as possible.


    Feeling something was amiss was Ethan, too.


    He initially thought Rowena was an excellent special effects master, but as he praised her, he realized the situation wasn¡¯t as planned. Rowena never mentioned giants, and what¡¯s worse, the Blood and Flesh Giants gave him a familiar feeling¡ªtheir aura matched the twisted souls from the pollution zone in every way.


    Only more bloodthirsty and more crazed, as if... originating from a depth deeper than the third tier.


    The sudden change in his skill proficiency panel overturned Ethan¡¯s "atheism" theory. Beneath three familiar skills, a line of notes seemed to be constructed from blood.


    ¡¯Bazatous¡¯ Glance: Your actions left a deep impression on Him, and He desires to meet you. If you do not seek Him, He will come to find you...in some unexpected ways.¡¯


    The Blood and Flesh Giants didn¡¯t capture their targeted prey, and those colossal bodies once again plunged into the ground, the rolling twisted human faces surged directly towards the camp Ave had set up.


    Rowena¡¯s magic broom was faster than they were.


    Sitting at the broom¡¯s forefront, Rowena expressed her request in the most succinct way upon seeing him.


    ¡ª"Help!"

 Chapter 91 - 90: Rituals of the Evil God

    Chapter 91: Chapter 90: Rituals of the Evil God"Wasn¡¯t I just using a transformation potion to dress up a scarecrow earlier? Suddenly there was a strange sound behind me, and when I looked back, guess what? A gap opened up in the air for no reason, and then these eerie things broke through the gap and came out!"


    Even though she had been chased by the Blood and Flesh Giant through half the forest, Rowena¡¯s mouth did not stop. Holding a broom with both hands, she described the thrilling scene like a storyteller.


    She did not forget to remind everyone, "Don¡¯t think about fighting those ghostly things. My cutting magic is completely ineffective against them! We must find a way to lead them beyond the Empire¡¯s boundary line!"


    Ethan and the others exchanged looks. It was like the sun was rising from the west. It was hard to imagine a heavily wanted criminal in more than five countries was trying her best to rescue Ximu Town, using herself as bait to lure these blood creations out of the Empire¡¯s boundary.


    "But there¡¯s a serious problem now!"


    Rowena¡¯s voice was urgent, and they could imagine the anxious expression behind the smiling mask. "My broom can¡¯t fit all of you. Oh, Knight Commander, I just saved your life and gave you a ride on the magic broom, that¡¯s 20 Gold Lions as the fee, don¡¯t forget to pay!"


    "You all go first, I¡¯ll stay behind to cover you!"


    The other side volunteered to leap off the broom.


    During the conversation, the Blood and Flesh Giant had already approached the cliff. A hand covered with blood vessels grasped the edge of the cliff, followed by an uncovered face with red muscles and clear lines. The bulging eyes surveyed everyone.


    The gun in her hand emitted a glaring silver-white beam that transformed into a streaming bullet, hitting the Giant¡¯s face. However, the light ball was like a stone thrown into a pond, merely causing ripples before disappearing without a trace.


    "It¡¯s some kind of complex anti-magic barrier!"


    Her pupils contracted at the sight of the unknown monster, wielding an advanced spell she had never seen before. The sword blade touched the Giant¡¯s raised fist, leaving only a slight scratch that couldn¡¯t stop the Giant¡¯s heavy punch aimed at the ground. Although she dodged the attack, the light armor blessed by the Master was still burned through, leaving a hole.


    The stinging heat tore open the skin on her forearm, leaving a shocking wound. Worse still, the wound cut off her ability to accumulate energy.


    The wind pressure lifted her body, throwing it to the ground. Before landing, a pair of white wings held her form.


    Turning her head, she saw the Frost Giant Bird that had appeared in the Imperial Capital not long ago.


    But Ethan¡¯s condition seemed no better. The rising ice spikes managed to delay the Giant¡¯s descending punch but caused no damage, as the Giant¡¯s monstrous hand shattered the ice spikes with a slight force.


    Ethan¡¯s face was grim. This was the first time since practicing Ice Arrows that he encountered a creature the Ice element couldn¡¯t penetrate.


    Magic immunity, physical immunity, and blood-red energy surging on the Giant¡¯s body would burn nearby contact. The blood it occasionally dripped was a strong curse.


    More terrifyingly, the Blood¡¯s movement speed was incredibly fast; Rowena sped along on her magic broom, just barely widening the gap. She stopped to say a few words before the Giant caught up.


    Such Blood and Flesh Giants, densely packed, practically uncountable; such numbers could completely flatten a battlefield!


    Such giants...


    How much proficiency can they provide?


    Ethan lamented that the Ice element couldn¡¯t penetrate the magic barrier of the Blood and Flesh Giant, which meant he couldn¡¯t consume the experience they offered.


    "Stop dawdling, Ethan!"


    Impossible to defeat!


    The other side pulled him back by the arm from behind. An unprecedented sense of defeat, she felt a rare fear for a certain creature, but in front of these Blood and Flesh Giants, they seemed as insignificant as insects.


    Even if Ethan¡¯s Fire magic could bring down a Blood and Flesh Giant, he¡¯d eventually be overwhelmed by innumerable successors from the mountainside.


    However, Ethan not only refused to retreat, he also shook off her hand, facing the Giant head-on.


    He could faintly hear the cries of every piece of flesh on the Giant, making him realize it was an assembly of countless twisted souls, twisted to the point where their original outlines were indistinguishable¡ªhuman, beast, demon. They were enduring unimaginable torture, their shattered consciousness burning endlessly in purgatory.


    That highly corrosive blood was the cry of souls in despair.


    It was in the distinct style of Bajatos. Bajatos resembled an abstract artist, enjoying breaking and twisting original objects before assembling them in an erratic fashion. But Bajatos¡¯ art consumed biological souls instead of paint.


    Honestly, Ethan couldn¡¯t understand such avant-garde art, but he knew Bajatos might be able to watch him in some way right now.


    It seems to be Bajatos¡¯ way of declaring a commercial war has begun.


    Bajatos¡¯ masterpiece not only could win a war but could also easily destroy a town.


    "Sorry, it was rash of me earlier; I spread some inaccurate rumors concerning you without verification."


    The Blood and Flesh Giant stopped, looking down at Ethan, listening to his apology.


    It proved the Evil God Bajatos still lived, existing in a deep level within the corrupted area, while rumors from Evil God¡¯s Followers concerning the death of the God of Righteousness might be true.


    The Ave and others behind him were speechless, thinking Ethan must be mad to try communicating with such twisted monsters. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this point, could a mere apology solve anything?


    To dispel the Giants this way?


    Absolutely wishful thinking!


    Ethan¡¯s attitude was sincere. After speaking, he didn¡¯t forget to bow to the Blood and Flesh Giant with only its head exposed before him. He disliked rumor mongers and absolutely didn¡¯t want to be one himself. "I will clarify the rumors with my teacher later and inform her of your existence."


    As he spoke, the Blood and Flesh Giant¡¯s movements did slow down.


    The bleeding eyes locked onto Ethan, the forced open mouth uttered murmurs incomprehensible, clearly transmitting into the minds of everyone present, as if it had always existed there.


    The murmurs drove them mad, three of them instinctively covered their ears, yet to no avail.


    That voice was everywhere, and what made them terrified was the itchiness that spread on their skin as if something was about to grow from beneath.


    "But, that¡¯s a separate matter."


    Ethan suddenly changed his tone, "About the time I made a mimicry in the corrupted area to fool you, I don¡¯t regret it at all. And if I get the chance, I¡¯ll do it again."


    All the murmurs disappeared at that moment, along with the unbearable itchiness.


    They saw the light, instantly engulfing the Blood and Flesh Giant, and everything within sight.


    It became the sole existence in this world.


    "Additionally, thank you for your selfless sharing."


    Only the holy and compassionate voice remained amidst the radiance.


    Ethan watched as the Blood and Flesh Giant vanished in the light, its broken souls freeing themselves from their prisons, leaving only the hanging arm on the cliff.


    This would be important research material.


    "Ave, we must think of a way to¡ª"


    Ethan¡¯s voice abruptly halted as he turned and saw a bizarre scene.


    Ave and the others behind him made the same gesture, with hands clasped, eyes closed, and heads bowed devoutly.


    They spoke in unison, "May the divine blessing descend upon each and every person."

 Chapter 92 - 91: Please Stop Your Acts of Faith!

    Chapter 92: Chapter 91: Please Stop Your Acts of Faith!"First of all, I¡¯m not a god, nor have I had any strange dreams, and I¡¯m certainly not an apostle of any god!"


    Ethan admitted he was panicking.


    When the three of them moved in unison, surrounding him in a triangular formation like the season¡¯s best defensive players, he couldn¡¯t help but panic.


    Ave proposed numerous hypotheses.


    Firstly, Ethan¡¯s true identity might be a god with a divine persona in disguise, aware of the Empire¡¯s decay, and having heard the people¡¯s suffering, thus deigning to descend to the mortal realm¡ªin many holy scriptures of the faith, such descriptions exist, often portraying gods as holy, upright, and compassionate beings.


    There¡¯s plenty of evidence to support this.


    For example, residents of Ximu Town say Ethan appeared two years ago out of nowhere; he¡¯s not from the Empire, and no one knows where he came from. Plus, he ventured alone into the third layer of the pollution zone, purifying the influence of Evil God Bajatos on Riverside Town. He generously nullified the Knight Commander¡¯s oath-breaking influence, saving her from certain death. And just now, facing the Blood and Flesh Giant, which was completely immune to magic and weaponry, he used just a beam of light to purify countless terrifying creatures.


    Ave thought Ethan¡¯s defense was weak. She could provide a complete chain of evidence, as followers of the God of Truth always talked about objective facts. "When your magic looks like a god¡¯s, and what you do is god-like, then you are a god!"


    The only doubt she had was that Ethan, in terms of "majestic demeanor," didn¡¯t quite align with the image of divine spirits.


    He was good-tempered, always seemed easygoing, unlike the inviolable image portrayed in the scriptures. If Ethan claimed to be a messenger of some god, she would have believed it.


    "Please stop your acts of faith; the Empire has fallen into today¡¯s state because of blind faith!"


    Without mercy, Ethan criticized this behavior. When the Empire was founded, the church rallied the hearts of the people through faith and praise of the gods. Yet inevitably, absolute faith bred absolute fanaticism, leading the church to its current state.


    "Ave, you are a follower of the God of Truth. You should view the world with a fair and objective lens. Have you ever seen any god spirits yourself?"


    The trio exchanged glances, then all pointed at Ethan in unison, including the golden fur atop Ave¡¯s head.


    Darkness swarmed before Ethan¡¯s eyes; he recalled the time in the cabin when he and Captain Hagrid, along with the guards, all pointed at the "suspicious person" Ave.


    Now he understood why Ave wanted to hit him out of anger back then.


    "We ought to believe in objectively existing things, using the material world we see as the yardstick. This is the truth the Empire¡¯s people should adhere to! And objective reality shows that I am just an Elemental Shaper!"


    "Got it."


    Ave nodded, speaking with a tone full of purpose, "How about naming this theory of yours ¡¯Truth of the Empire¡¯?"


    This girl was beyond saving.


    The Empire¡¯s faith fanaticism seemed to have become incurable, as if one must believe in something¡ªwhether it be a god or evil deity¡ªfor their life to be complete.


    Ethan turned his criticism to Rowena, "What about you? You believe in Kadela, the God of Trickery, don¡¯t you? You¡¯re not even a follower of a legitimate god, so why are you making a fuss?"


    "It just felt right."


    Rowena shrank her neck, "Back when I was in the Astrologer¡¯s Guild, I once got fined for not praying in church."


    She didn¡¯t know if Ethan was truly a god, but she knew Ethan could fight well. If everyone was praying and she stood out, what if she accidentally angered him and got hit by a shiny Fireball Skill? Her small body couldn¡¯t take it.


    Rowena quickly stated, "If you say you¡¯re not, then you¡¯re not. I have no objection."


    "That¡¯s not where the problem lies."


    Beyond looked solemn and interjected, "Little Ave is right. Whether you are a god or an apostle, once people see you casting spells, they¡¯ll assume you are. By then, will you clarify with them one by one? The speed at which rumors spread is much faster."


    As for Ethan¡¯s true identity, it no longer mattered. In the Empire¡¯s current environment, many people hoped for a real god to guide them¡ªas depicted in the scriptures, legitimate gods once helped mankind in the first era rid of darkness, hunger, and fear.


    "It won¡¯t be long before the news travels from Ximu Town to Gear City, and then spreads to every major city in the Empire."


    "Makes sense."


    Beyond¡¯s words captured Ethan¡¯s attention, making it clear that he mustn¡¯t use the upgraded Fireball Skill so carelessly in crowded places.


    "But before then, Rowena, you take me to the crack you mentioned earlier. Ave, you and the Knight Commander help retrieve the giant¡¯s arms. They might be pivotal in understanding the curse of Evil God Bajatos."


    The crack¡¯s existence worried Ethan, as it could very well lead to deeper layers of the pollution zone. He couldn¡¯t imagine where so many sacrificed souls came from, apart from the Blood and Flesh Giant.


    To know, the entire population of Riverside Town only brought about one Flower of Flesh and Blood, and the curse on the giant seemed even more advanced.


    Rowena flew Ethan across the broken land on her broomstick, arriving at a forest clearing about fifteen minutes later¡ªshe recognized it by the scarecrow still standing there, smeared halfway with transformation potion, as she said, she was busy with this when those Blood and Flesh Giants suddenly interrupted her.


    Now, however, everything seemed peaceful; the giants hadn¡¯t even caused much damage here, only a small irregularly raised patch of dirt showed they passed through.


    But the crack Rowena mentioned was gone. She anxiously got off the broomstick, pacing back and forth in the clearing, her voice growing increasingly urgent, "Where¡¯s the crack? How could such a big crack suddenly disappear?"


    Even she, a Great Mage with a vast knowledge of mysticism, couldn¡¯t explain the series of bizarre events tonight. Pointing at the space beside a tree, she insisted, "The crack appeared here, and those giants came charging out from here."


    Ethan remained silent, wearing a somber expression.


    This made Rowena even more uneasy; beneath the mask, her voice somewhat trembled, "Wait a second, you don¡¯t think I summoned those giants, do you?"


    "Someone definitely summoned them."


    Yet Ethan couldn¡¯t think of anyone who could manage such a feat, except perhaps a Saint, he couldn¡¯t imagine anyone else capable of causing such an anomaly on this scale.


    The giants may have been directed towards him, but someone had to use a ritual to summon them into the real world. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rowena mentioned that if she didn¡¯t divert the Blood and Flesh Giants in time, they might have charged down the mountain path into Ximu Town, turning it into a hell on earth.


    But it seemed that whoever it was intended for Rowena to discover them. Otherwise, they could have torn open the crack in an uninhabited area closer to the town.


    "Whoever that person is, they approached you silently, casting a spell capable of tearing space without you noticing," Ethan analyzed, "If they wanted to kill you, you probably wouldn¡¯t react in time before they got you."


    "Hiss¡ª!"


    Rowena couldn¡¯t help but gasp, her body shivering slightly.


    After trembling for quite some time, she cautiously asked, "Can I stay at your place for the night? I mean, I did contribute to Ximu Town! I can just stay in Ave¡¯s apartment next door. Her place seems big enough. I can pay, as long as it¡¯s not too outrageous!"


    The thought of returning to her hotel room late at night, possibly to be silently killed by some unnoticeable presence, chilled Rowena to the core.


    "You¡¯ll have to ask for Ave¡¯s opinion."


    Ethan said, "But you¡¯re right, it¡¯s best not to act alone until we figure things out."

 Chapter 93 - 92: The Slain Lamb

    Chapter 93: Chapter 92: The Slain LambThe gaze of Evil God Bajatos did not vanish, even after Rowena had left for quite some time, Ethan still couldn¡¯t figure out what exactly this skill was used for.


    However, compared to Bajatos¡¯ gaze, he found Teacher Cat¡¯s stare to be even more unsettling.


    They remained in the desolate open field, ever since Lindong rushed out from Old Sen Magic Technology Store upon hearing the news, she had been studying him with an inquisitive gaze. Perhaps due to lingering feline traits, Lindong occasionally tilted her head and opened her eyes wide when pondering in her human form.


    Ethan, covered in goosebumps from being stared at, had to ask, "Uh, is there something odd about me?"


    Lindong suddenly clasped her hands together, lowered her eyelids in a prayer-like manner, and said, "May the blessings of the gods fall upon everyone."


    She obviously was an unqualified believer, not only was her tone devoid of reverence, but her demeanor was also unpious. After uttering the words in a chanting manner, Lindong flashed a mischievous smile typical of a witch.


    This was a textbook atheist, forced into a neutral yet slightly evil stance by the persecution of the church!


    Seeing Ethan frozen in place, Lindong laughed in satisfaction; she had said it deliberately because she found Ethan¡¯s earlier expression amusing.


    Observing her student and young boyfriend, apart from his apparent interest in her feet, Ethan was generally quite proper. Each time she teased him, he would exhibit highly amusing expressions.


    Just as it is in many people¡¯s nature to tease cats, she thoroughly enjoyed the sensation of teasing Ethan.


    However, there seemed to be a subtle difference between Ethan¡¯s elemental ascension and her proposed theory, a sacred sensation that could not be described was not feigned. Lindong believed that if Ethan stood in the Imperial City Church Square, bathed in golden light, raised his arms and declared himself as the true god¡¯s descent, he would instantly gain numerous followers.


    For unknown elemental knowledge, Lindong always possessed a strong desire for inquiry, her interest in Ethan grew increasingly intense, wanting to delve deeper into studying him.


    Her eyes swept across the cumbersome winter clothing, a trace of displeasure flashed in her expression ¡ª her only dissatisfaction with Ethan was in his attire, wrapping himself up like a dumpling, bulky and with a somewhat uniquely rural tackiness. Although winter had arrived, Ethan was quite adept in the realm of the ice element and logically should not fear the cold.


    "What do you think, Teacher?"


    Ethan noticed Lindong¡¯s gaze becoming increasingly strange and shivered slightly.


    He summoned Teacher Cat to the wilderness outside Ximu Town at night to discuss the Blood and Flesh Giant and the rift, coupled with the suddenly emerging mysterious skill, he realized he had been entangled in a deeper conspiracy.


    The knowledgeable Teacher Cat might have some insights into these matters.


    "Your judgment is correct, the rift was indeed artificially created, it disappeared due to the lack of sufficient souls here to maintain it."


    Lindong revealed her judgment, "The maintenance of a pollution zone requires souls as fuel, which is why Bajatos¡¯ followers are keen on sacrifices. If one intends to tear open a rift in the physical realm, it requires burning one¡¯s own magic power as a supply... with my current magic power reserve, I can maintain the rift for about half an hour."


    No wonder Teacher Cat is so knowledgeable!


    In comparison, Rowena, who was with her, was completely outmatched; as the first witness on the scene, she was clueless, not even seeing the shadow of the Caster.


    "But if you wish to further understand Bajatos, I do know a place."


    "... You wouldn¡¯t be suggesting I sneak a peek at forbidden books, would you?"


    The suggestive tone made Ethan uneasy, Teacher Cat possessed the traits of a bad teacher, seemingly keen on instructing students to engage in mischievous acts.


    According to Empire laws, any book related to the Evil God was collectively termed as cult classics, anyone reading such books, whether or not they studied the magic within, would be regarded as Evil God¡¯s Followers and could claim a barbecue package in any major city.


    "A life without peeking at forbidden books is incomplete, you can examine them with a critical eye."


    Lindong said, "My stance has always been that to deal with an enemy, you must first understand your enemy. Only by comprehending their magic and combat tactics can you better implement various precautionary measures, for example, the one who summoned the Blood and Flesh Giant should be a wizard proficient in the ¡¯Summoning¡¯ school."


    "Alright." Ethan found Teacher Cat¡¯s argument reasonable, took a deep breath, "What preparations do we need before that?"


    "None, you simply need to follow me." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Lindong donned that seasonally inappropriate lightweight cloak again, as well as her signature vortex mask, the destination remained Fireplace Bay. After completing teleportation magic, she led Ethan along the black sea¡¯s shore, walking a long distance until the town¡¯s outline was barely visible, only then did a solitary wooden hut come into view.


    Torches burned brightly in front of the hut, sounding quite lively inside.


    A blood-red sign hung above.


    "The Slaughtered Lamb".


    Blood appeared to seep from the sign, leaving dark red streaks on the wooden placard.


    Ethan had traveled in and out of Fireplace Bay many times, discovering for the first time that a tavern was nestled here.


    Lindong pushed open the door, the gaze inside the tavern collectively focused on her almost simultaneously, a tall stature, and crystal high heels possessing a noble air. The atmosphere should have been more fervent, yet upon encountering her vortex mask and red pupils, these seemingly fierce patrons quickly averted their gaze in fear.


    Only one seemingly intoxicated drunkard inappropriately whistled.


    But was swiftly stopped ¡ª the burly man sitting across from the drunkard suddenly erupted, seized a cup filled with unknown dark red liquid, and smashed it upon the drunkard¡¯s head; shattered glass splattered everywhere, the unconscious drunkard slumped over the table, blood trickling from the wound and slowly spreading across the table.


    Ethan followed Lindong; she walked towards the bartender standing behind the bar without looking sideways, "Two people, dine-in."


    The waiter appeared much calmer, staring at Ethan for a long time, "Newcomer?"


    "A very talented young man."


    "Is that so? But rules are rules."


    The waiter calmly wiped the plates, he also worked as a bartender, yet the bottles and jars contained nothing but unidentified liquids. Ethan even saw eyeballs floating in an open barrel behind the waiter, unclear what creature they belonged to.


    He posed a question to Ethan, "How many people have you killed?"


    For a moment, the tavern fell silent.


    All the patrons held their breath, surreptitiously shifting their gaze here, waiting for an answer.

 Chapter 94 - 93: Ethan has already killed many people

    Chapter 94: Chapter 93: Ethan has already killed many peopleEthan found himself surrounded by the Evil God¡¯s followers, each one eagerly awaiting his response.


    This was a tavern themed around the Evil God, so the food service offered meats and plants of indistinguishable origin.


    For the followers of the Evil God, the number of people one killed seemed to equate to the honor they carried.


    "Just eight or nine..."


    As the author of "The Good People of Ximu Town", Ethan found this somewhat embarrassing.


    "Pfft¡ª!"


    Laughter came from behind, but with Lindong present, the patrons dared not be too obvious. They could only resort to a sarcastic tactic, with one person deliberately questioning the person opposite, "Hey, how many people did you kill last week?" S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Five, or six? Oh, if you count the guards chasing me, it should be nine."


    In the eyes of the Evil God¡¯s followers, having killed only seven people was akin to being the weakest of the weak, only worthy of sitting at the children¡¯s table during a gathering.


    Ethan roughly surmised the reputation system among the Evil God¡¯s followers¡ªthe more people you killed, the more respect you received from others. They seemed to rely on this as a way to judge each other¡¯s strength since they couldn¡¯t get badges acknowledging their rank like those recognized on other continents. Thus, before taking action, they found it challenging to accurately assess each other¡¯s strength.


    However, the waiter wearing a ram-head mask looked at the dark crystal on Ethan¡¯s ring finger, which emitted a red glow.


    He said, "You¡¯re lying."


    The laughter grew louder, with one "kind-hearted" person closest to Ethan covering their mouth and reminding him, "You might not know since it¡¯s your first time here, but reporting a higher number to the Evil God¡¯s waiter is useless; it gets seen through immediately."


    Many newcomers unfamiliar with the situation often liked to boast about their kill count, trying to portray themselves as ruthless killers. When exposed, their faces would turn red with embarrassment¡ªone of the patrons¡¯ favorite daily amusements. Those newcomers often wished they could burrow into the ground and would receive some derogatory nicknames.


    However...


    They had seen braggarts claiming to have killed hundreds, but never heard of anyone overstating by only seven or eight.


    This newcomer looked like an honest person, with a rather poor imagination that made them seem a bit pitiable amidst the laughter.


    Yet Ethan was utterly confused. He recalculated carefully and tentatively said, "Nine?"


    The dark gemstone on the ring still glowed red, and he could only seek help from Teacher Cat.


    "Usually, a discrepancy within five wouldn¡¯t be detected," Lindong explained. "The real question isn¡¯t ¡¯how many people have you killed,¡¯ but ¡¯how many souls have you sacrificed?¡¯"


    Ethan was even more puzzled.


    Lindong, with a mischievous smile, explained, "In a way, your magic could be seen as a sacrificial ritual."


    The Evil God¡¯s followers sacrificed souls to their god, while Ethan sent those twisted souls back to where they belonged.


    Ethan understood but had no way to answer.


    The question arose, how many people were in Riverside Town?


    Dozens?


    Hundreds?


    Or thousands?


    There was no census in those days, so he could only vaguely say, "It should only be the number for a small town¡¯s population."


    The laughter stopped, and the expressions on the faces of the Evil God¡¯s followers stiffened, for everyone saw the dark-tone gemstone on the waiter¡¯s ring emit a green light, indicating that the "newcomer¡¯s" answer was recognized by the Evil God. The more astute patrons caught the implication of that statement.


    The "newcomer" used the term "only," seeming to imply dissatisfaction with this number.


    Even the waiters of the Evil God expressed their highest respect to Ethan, placing their left hand on their chest and making a strange gesture, "May darkness return to the world!"


    And Lindong, in a falsetto voice with a trembling note, delivered the final blow to the patrons, "Those people were just ignorant; there¡¯s no need to kill everyone over minor matters."


    I¡¯m not a psychopathic killer!


    Looking at the patrons who were as silent as cicadas in winter, Ethan shouted in his heart, his "kind-hearted" adviser taking a deep breath upon meeting his gaze and suddenly grabbing a dining knife from beside his plate, stabbing it vigorously into his own right hand.


    The dining knife pierced through his palm, blood splattering everywhere.


    Seeing this, the waiter stepped in to mediate, "Please, you two, follow me."


    He opened a hidden door in the floor behind the bar and led the way down.


    Lindong seemed in a great mood, humming a little tune as he followed, with Ethan last. Only after all three figures had disappeared did the patrons clutch their chests, breathing rapidly as if they had survived a great ordeal.


    Ethan followed the creaking wooden ladder downward, passing through a moldy-smelling wine cellar. When the door at the end of the wine cellar opened, a dilapidated alleyway came into view, populated with people whose bodies had mostly undergone mutations. Some had hunched bodies and lost all their hair, resembling the gardeners he had seen in the contaminated zone; others retained a human contour on their upper bodies, while their lower bodies had been transformed into beast-like forms, crawling on spider-like legs.


    Once the waiter left, Lindong whispered into Ethan¡¯s ear, "Those with changing body color, those who have lost all their hair, are the followers of Evil God Bajatos. Oh, here, they should be called the Heavenly Father. Calling them by their name is considered offensive by many believers. I know of a shop here run by the Heavenly Father¡¯s followers, and inside you should find the knowledge you¡¯re seeking. However, the shopkeeper is an odd person and may likely do some strange things to believers of other Evil Gods."


    "I understand the principle, but why did you say what you did upstairs? I¡¯ve never planned to kill anyone."


    "I know."


    Under the swirling mask came Lindong¡¯s mischievous laugh, "Now you¡¯re already known as a notorious killer among the Evil God¡¯s followers. Information circulates quickly among patrons here, and it won¡¯t take long before your reputation spreads. This way, if you plan to come here alone next time, it will be much more convenient for you to move around...However, I recommend you take me with you. If you plan to steal forbidden books or cursed items from the shop, I can help cover for you."


    Ethan had no choice but to bear the title of "mass murderer," even though it was the highest praise among the followers of the Evil God.


    However, unless absolutely necessary, he had no intention of returning to this creepy place.


    These narrow alleyways were like a labyrinth. Geographically, this place should be beneath the Black Sea, and Ethan had no idea how the followers of the Evil God managed to establish a stronghold under the ocean.


    All the shops were crammed together, and the things on the shelves were usually objects that would make any normal person avoid them.


    Standing in front of the store named "The Heavenly Father is with You," Ethan felt uneasy.


    Teacher Cat mentioned that the shopkeeper was an eccentric person and one of the oldest followers of the Evil God. If even Teacher Cat found them odd, it must be something shocking beyond measure.


    Hope everything goes smoothly.


    He wished in his heart, yet as soon as the two stepped through the door, the obese, bloated figure behind the counter rolled towards him like a ball, collapsing with a "thud" in front of him.


    "Chosen One!"


    The ball exclaimed, its murky eyes seemingly unable to see clearly, "Is it you, Chosen One!"

 Chapter 95 - 94: The Chosen One

    Chapter 95: Chapter 94: The Chosen One"Move aside!"


    The words were spoken by Lindong, as the round meatball lunged at Ethan. She stepped sideways with a cold face, blocking between the two, ready to act at any moment. The mere followers of Evil God Bajatos didn¡¯t concern her.


    She had intended just to watch the commotion, but hadn¡¯t expected the meatball to dare to roll toward Ethan.


    Is that the place you should be rolling to?


    Lindong never liked the followers of Evil God Bajatos. Most of them turned into monstrous beings who were neither human nor ghost upon advancing. According to the followers, the Heavenly Father possessed an avant-garde taste in art, and it was their honor to satisfy the Father¡¯s aesthetics. Take the shopkeeper meatball, for instance ¡ª he no longer looked human at all. His body was swollen like a balloon, with limbs so short they almost retracted into his body. Upon seeing Ethan, he rolled out from behind the counter like a ball.


    Moreover, she couldn¡¯t tolerate the eternal stench of Bajatos¡¯ followers, resembling the smell of decaying corpses.


    She had to sleep on Ethan¡¯s chest each night; if she accidentally got brushed by this meatball, would she still get any sleep? S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You? Who are you? Why are you interrupting my conversation with the Chosen One?"


    "I¡¯m his servant demon, much closer than you are."


    Servant demon!?


    Since when?


    Even Ethan was shocked.


    "Hmph, just a mere servant demon, the Heavenly Father has far more important great work entrusted to the Chosen One to accomplish!"


    "What do you mean by the Chosen One?"


    Ethan asked patiently, all the while keeping an eye on the meatball, ensuring a distance of at least five steps. Even from afar, he could smell the stench emanating from the meatball; he definitely didn¡¯t want to become a smelly container himself.


    "Follow me, quickly, follow me!"


    The meatball was already impatient, his movement completely devolved due to bodily changes, rolling towards the shelves like a ball.


    Ethan thought this was likely related to Bajatos¡¯ gaze. He re-read the description in the skill proficiency section carefully, and suddenly shuddered.


    "Your actions impressed Him; He desires to meet you."


    Ethan had initially thought Bajatos was enraged by being dazzled and wanted to start a street fight, but judging by the meatball¡¯s reaction, their Heavenly Father was not angry at all and instead developed... bizarre feelings.


    Ugh!


    He suddenly got goosebumps.


    Logically, the radiant and Bajatos¡¯s evil power were like fire and water, and ought to be arch-enemies, but the meatball¡¯s words, along with Ethan¡¯s poor impression of Bajatos, suddenly made him understand the meaning of the Chosen One and the gaze.


    Evil God Bajatos is an enthusiast of evil corruption.


    He seemed eager to see the sacred golden radiance tainted by the Evil God¡¯s powers, turning crimson red.


    The meatball stopped under the shelf, looked up at a thick black magic book on top, his devolved limbs unable to reach so high. He began trying to pull out cushions for climbing.


    Ethan immediately shouted, "Hold on, I can take it myself!"


    The meatball was very pleased with Ethan¡¯s impatient response. In his view, the Chosen One had witnessed the Heavenly Father¡¯s great power and was eager to become the Father¡¯s most cherished child.


    Arriving under the shelf, Ethan didn¡¯t forget to warn him, "Stay right there, don¡¯t suddenly come close to me... you keep an eye on him!"


    Lindong was already poised to act without further urging; if the meatball made any rash moves, she would use domain magic to target him. She was immensely relieved that her elevated magic¡¯s characteristic was "Stillness," allowing her to eliminate threats before things became irreparable ¡ª joking aside, this concerned whether she could have a good sleep tonight!


    The meatball rolled half a meter backward voluntarily, yet with a loving smile on his face, "Rest assured, the title of Chosen One belongs solely to you, no one can take it, not even me."


    Ethan didn¡¯t respond to him; in fact, he had no interest in the title of Chosen One, what he feared was the foul smell of the meatball.


    Upon touching the black magic book, the front page glowed with crimson brilliance, and Ethan once again heard indistinguishable murmurs.


    "Dear Father!"


    The meatball, upon seeing this, immediately prostrated himself reverently on the ground.


    Then, something bizarre occurred; Ethan hadn¡¯t even opened the book, but its contents poured straight into his mind.


    The book¡¯s author was a king from the Second Epoch and the previous Chosen One of Bajatos, known as the Red King. The book mostly recorded his experiences before becoming the Red King¡ªbefore that, he too had been unable to understand the Heavenly Father¡¯s mercy, foolishly opposing and obstructing the Father¡¯s spreading of love throughout the world.


    His ignorant actions greatly pained the Father, who mercifully sent down four Giant Divine Soldiers to help him create a flawless divine nation.


    The sky was perpetually crimson, allowing his people to transcend the concept of death, becoming eternal beings.


    Of course, this was the beautified version.


    The actual situation was that four Blood and Flesh Giants suddenly descended upon the Red King¡¯s country, mercilessly crushing his proud forces and transforming the dead warriors into twisted monsters. Then it was his subjects, all his loved ones, transformed by Bajatos¡¯s influence into hideous mindless monsters.


    Ethan suspected the Red King¡¯s will completely broke during this process, and he began deceiving himself, embellishing everything he saw, making himself the Father¡¯s most devout offspring. Thus, his failure would be hidden, and the curse upon his people turned into a blessing.


    The magic book narrated the Father¡¯s trials. After the arrival of the Giant Divine Soldiers, the Chosen One must undergo three more trials to ensure they are transformed, prepared for the Father¡¯s baptism. After the fourth trial, they would confront the Father¡¯s earthly agent, a skeletal figure wielding a scythe and cloaked, with eye sockets burning with crimson flames.


    The Father bestowed upon it the great power to control death.


    Ethan associated this figure with the Death God, as the book¡¯s description of the agent¡¯s appearance highly resembled what he knew of the Death God.


    The Red King mentioned that it was the agent who sliced open the nexus between reality and the divine nation with its scythe, allowing the Giant Divine Soldiers to descend into the human world.


    This book came at the right time, helping Ethan pinpoint the suspect.


    It was a cloaked skeleton ¡ª easily recognizable; if it walked among a crowd, one could spot it at a glance.


    However, the description of the four trials didn¡¯t offer Ethan much insight.


    In the magic book¡¯s story, the Red King¡¯s country was annihilated by four Giant Divine Soldiers, which he referred to as projections of the Father¡¯s great power, insurmountable by human efforts.


    He believed the first trial¡¯s purpose was for the Father to teach the Chosen Ones humility, realizing the weakness of their own power; they were students, the Giant Divine Soldiers were the Father¡¯s rod, immersed in pain, they learn humility.


    Only the humble can comprehend the Father¡¯s mercy.


    But...


    Ethan momentarily couldn¡¯t recall how many Giant Divine Soldiers he had encountered earlier.


    The Father¡¯s rod... had been blown apart, now only an arm remained for in-depth study.


    According to the Chosen trials¡¯ rules, he got through the first trial by exploiting a bug.

 Chapter 96 - 95: Miss Keroy Yearns for Light

    Chapter 96: Chapter 95: Miss Keroy Yearns for Light"Don¡¯t be deceived by smooth words."


    Walking along the road out of Fireplace Bay, Teacher Cat transformed into a white ragdoll cat, perched on Ethan¡¯s shoulder, his agile tail hooked around Ethan¡¯s neck for balance. Now was the time for some post-lesson coaching, "As long as you can see the essence through the phenomena, you won¡¯t be fooled by the tricks of the Evil God."


    "Hmm."


    Good student Ethan nodded.


    "From the taste of His creations, you can tell Bazatous has a very low aesthetic sense. His true form must be extremely ugly too."


    "Hmm."


    "And He doesn¡¯t care about hygiene, hiding filth everywhere, smells awful."


    "Hmm."


    "Probably smells worse than ¡¯Dark Creatures Repel 3.0¡¯.


    "That¡¯s a bit too much, unnecessary, really.


    Ethan couldn¡¯t respond anymore, even though they were in a competitive enemy relationship with Bazatous in the trade market, there was no need to curse Him with such malicious language.


    How was this different from directly cursing Bazatous as a pile of dog poop?


    He thought there shouldn¡¯t be anything more pungent in the world than ¡¯Dark Creatures Repel 3.0¡¯, unless the research department launches a 4.0 this year.


    Teacher Cat concluded today¡¯s lesson, "Anyway, as long as you¡¯re not confused by the rhetoric of the chosen one."


    They obtained important clues in Fireplace Bay, pinpointing the suspect as the Death God. Upon returning to the apartment, Ave and her family were not home, and Miss Keroy was nowhere to be found either. Ethan guessed they were probably dealing with the remnants of the Giant Divine Soldier up the mountain, so he decided to go over and see if there was anything he could help with.


    Finding Ave and her group wasn¡¯t difficult. As Ethan climbed the mountain, they stood at the most prominent place on the mountain path, with the remnants of the arm placed behind them. Ethan called out Ave¡¯s name from afar, waving to the three in the moonlight.


    However, the expressions of the three were extremely peculiar. They had initially gathered together discussing something, and upon seeing Ethan approach, suddenly looked like students caught playing with their phones in class, standing rigidly like robots, waiting for him to get closer.


    "Ah, hahaha, it¡¯s Old Sen, such a coincidence, you¡¯re mountain climbing too?"


    Rowena was pushed out of the crowd by Ave and Beyond, and even she, usually so eloquent, started talking nonsense.


    Even a fool could tell the three of them had issues now.


    In fact, the mere fact that the three suddenly reached a unified front emitted a weird vibe.


    Ethan crossed his arms, totally unimpressed, "Come on, spill it. What¡¯s going on?"


    "It all starts with the founding of the Empire by the first King Henry I, back then¡ª"


    "Stick to the point."


    "Alright." Rowena drooped her head in defeat, looking resigned, "Weren¡¯t we discussing according to plan about moving the giant¡¯s arm somewhere discreet for storage? We just started discussing, out of academic curiosity, what potential uses this arm might have. You know, when the topic atmosphere just gets there."


    She and Ave had time to chat mainly because they were weak, Beyond found them clumsy, and let them stand aside, leaving the task of heavy lifting to her and Miss Keroy.


    Beyond turned her face away in guilt, first "ratting" to the "teacher," "It was Rowena who brought up the idea of selling it to the black market and how much it might fetch."


    They were simply following Rowena¡¯s lead, discussing the area they were most familiar with.


    "This is normal, alright! This is rare material from an anomalous space; on the black market, the higher the level of the creature the material is from, the higher the price. Of course, you¡¯d be curious about how much those wealthy folks would pay for it!"


    Rowena, unwilling to be outdone, exploded into a rapid fire of words, "But this person clearly has issues; do you know? She actually wondered if it can be eaten! Who would think of eating such a thing!"


    "I was just joking."


    Beyond¡¯s defense suddenly made Ethan develop an ominous feeling.


    The three of them had been chattering away here for ages, yet Miss Keroy was nowhere to be seen in Rowena¡¯s version of events ¡ª supposed to be the main force in moving heavy objects.


    He interrupted their bickering, asking, "Where did Miss Keroy go?"


    "Ethan, about this, you shouldn¡¯t be in a hurry yet."


    Ave spoke up, her golden hair indicating to Ethan to calm down, "Didn¡¯t they earlier discuss whether this thing could be eaten? Miss Keroy, she... took it seriously."


    In the midst of the two¡¯s argument, Miss Keroy suddenly jumped in, huffing and puffing, as if saying, "Stop arguing, I¡¯ll try it for you."


    Ethan couldn¡¯t catch his breath. As he went around the other side of the arm, he saw that the giant¡¯s bicep area was missing a large piece ¡ª this was not just a nibble!


    "I told you to calm down first, Miss Keroy isn¡¯t hurt, it¡¯s just..."


    "Just what?"


    "Just her appearance has changed a bit." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ave was equally guilty, she was the visible leader of Ximu Town¡¯s Reception Bureau, when an E-grade investigator under her command had an accident during duty, she was accountable.


    "Where is she?"


    "We let her rest in the cave first."


    "Take me to her!"


    Ethan felt his scalp prickling; was this something that could be casually eaten?


    Given Bazatous¡¯ unbearably awful taste, he feared when next seeing Miss Keroy, she might be covered in writhing tentacles with a row of eyes growing on her neck.


    Before entering the cave, he mentally prepared himself for five long minutes, finally taking a deep breath.


    Never mind.


    He had watched Miss Keroy grow up, no matter what she became, he wouldn¡¯t distance himself ¡ª worst case, when Miss Keroy jumps into his arms to spoil him, he would just close his eyes and afterward refer to some dark rituals to see if he could find a reshaping magic.


    He took steps forward, still hearing Miss Keroy¡¯s "huffing" sounds. The subtle connection between them remained, Miss Keroy identified his footsteps, emitting joyous screeches.


    Ethan almost immediately spotted Miss Keroy in the darkness.


    She was incredibly eye-catching, bathed in golden flames, her size had expanded several circles again, though wings were tucked away, one could easily imagine the spectacular sight when fully extended.


    Her tail feathers grew increasingly vibrant, like flaming golden ribbons.


    Miss Keroy sensed Ethan¡¯s gaze, lowered her head, eyes under the golden flames shimmered shyly, body gently swaying.


    This...


    She evolved into a phoenix!


    Ave lamented, "After eating the meat from the arm, Miss Keroy caught fire!"

 Chapter 97 - 96: Soul Link

    Chapter 97: Chapter 96: Soul LinkThere are no phoenixes in this world, and Ave naturally didn¡¯t recognize a phoenix. She only knew that after Miss Keroy had swallowed a piece of flesh from a giant, she caught on fire.


    They tried many methods. Rowena suggested using water to extinguish the fire, while Bi¡¯an thought it was too slow to find water and that they should put Miss Keroy in a place devoid of air. Just as they were discussing the location, Ethan returned.


    And what Ethan did was...


    He directly reached out his hand to Miss Keroy¡¯s head and gently patted it a few times.


    "Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting burned?"


    Ave¡¯s eyes widened, and only then did she notice that not only did Miss Keroy not show any signs of pain, she even happily rubbed against Ethan¡¯s palm¡ªjust like usual. Despite burning for so long, her feathers remained unaffected by the flames, becoming even more beautiful under the golden radiance.


    If not for the fear that Miss Keroy might get burned to death, Ave thought she looked extremely beautiful now, like a creature depicted in myths.


    "No, phoenix flames don¡¯t burn those they¡¯re close to."


    This was indeed a pleasant surprise. He hadn¡¯t expected the flesh of the Giant Divine Soldier to possess the effect of a fire stone, enabling Miss Keroy to complete her third stage of evolution. Just her current appearance seemed to have a racial value of 680.


    However, this might not be Miss Keroy¡¯s endpoint. This is a world filled with magical artifacts, and he might find an item that could help her complete a mega evolution in the future.


    "Really?"


    Bi¡¯an was the first to approach. She hesitated to say it out loud, but after witnessing Miss Keroy¡¯s transformation, her first thought was to try riding her, though she ultimately gave up for fear of setting her rear on fire.


    She placed her palm on Miss Keroy¡¯s back, feeling warmth and softness. What surprised her even more was that when the burn wound on the back of her hand was exposed to the golden light, it healed at a rate visible to the naked eye. She withdrew her hand as if electrocuted and stared at it for a long time, exclaiming, "It really healed!"


    "Phoenix flames have the power of rebirth through fire."


    Afterwards, the group conducted numerous studies in the cave, discovering that after consuming the giant¡¯s flesh, Miss Keroy almost inherited both magical and physical immunity, which greatly shocked Bi¡¯an. She stood at the back of the crowd, lost in thought.


    Perhaps...


    That thing can really be eaten!


    The events of recent days had taken quite a toll on her. As the Knight Commander of the Empire, she had always been extremely confident in her combat abilities. Combat was the basic survival skill for the Knights of the Neseriel Sanctuary. However, upon reaching Ximu Town, she suffered a harsh reality check.


    Their battle records were so poor, it was difficult to claim even one victory.


    Bi¡¯an looked around at the people in front of her. Apart from Ave, who was never skilled at combat, the only one capable of going a few rounds seemed to be Rowena. But if the opponent set up magical traps first and seized the advantage, the outcome was uncertain, and now she might be less capable than even a chicken.


    At least currently, she couldn¡¯t come up with any strategy against the magical and physical immunity possessed by the giants.


    She had to find a way to become stronger quickly!


    After witnessing Miss Keroy¡¯s transformation, Bi¡¯an saw a door to a new world. Over the past few days of interaction, she discovered she had a lot of common ground with Miss Keroy in terms of eating¡ªif you can¡¯t beat them, join them! S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since she couldn¡¯t figure out how to deal with the giants¡¯ traits, she thought of ways to steal them!


    This couldn¡¯t do without Ethan¡¯s help, who, after all, was the ¡¯stew king¡¯ of Ximu Town, "Brother Ethan, how long should that giant¡¯s meat be stewed to be edible? Will it taste good?"


    "If you eat it, you¡¯re sure to become a monster."


    The cat on Ethan¡¯s shoulder mercilessly poured cold water on Bi¡¯an, believing that if unchecked, this foodie Knight Commander might actually do something crazy like sneaking a bite of the Giant Divine Soldier, "The reason this little hen was able to transform is because of the soul link between her and Ethan, which allowed the elevated fire element to purify the curse within the flesh."


    "Soul link?"


    Everyone was stunned for a while and then looked at each other with admiration¡ªnot a word wasted from Teacher Cat, who always mentioned professional terms that they had never heard of!


    "I recall you talking about putting a collar on this little hen, and then you could understand her language, which is the most common manifestation of a soul link."


    Rowena got interested upon hearing this, "Is this magic? How come I¡¯ve never heard of it?"


    She thought the name didn¡¯t sound like elemental shaping magic, but back during her studies at the Astrologer Society, she never came across soul-related magic, and even the Astrology Guild within the imperial cities strictly prohibited exploration of the soul.


    "It¡¯s a wizard¡¯s trick. They use this method to forge contracts with the creations of the Evil God."


    This was addressed mainly to Ethan. Lindong was very satisfied with his student in every aspect, never hiding knowledge from him, "Remember the wizard proficient in summoning spells I mentioned to you on the road? Their magic power is reflected in the strength of the soul link; the stronger the magic power, the higher the rank of the creation of the Evil God they can control."


    For a moment, the cave fell silent.


    The group exchanged glances, feeling like they had heard something incredible.


    Driven by strong curiosity, Ave could not help but ask, "Where did you learn this?"


    By right, isn¡¯t this...


    Content only found in forbidden tomes?


    Lindong candidly admitted to a crime that could see her tied to the stake, "I¡¯ve flipped through the forbidden books of Bazatous¡¯ followers. Currently, more than eighty percent of the wizards in the Empire are believers of Him... Because of this, Miss Keroy can inherit a certain degree of elemental energy from you. Although she cannot directly control elemental elves, she will receive help from the elements."


    To put it in more straightforward terms, Ethan has a big reputation among the Elemental Elves, and they all know this is the chicken Ethan raised.


    Even when Ethan isn¡¯t around, they make sure Miss Keroy is safe.


    "It is precisely because of the soul link that the changes in Miss Keroy will be influenced by your inner thoughts, like how I¡¯ve never heard of a creature like a phoenix, yet you can easily describe its traits."


    Teacher Cat tilted her head, staring at Ethan. She always found Ethan¡¯s range of knowledge very strange. He clearly lacked a basic understanding of the occult, yet he could sometimes speak of things even she didn¡¯t know.


    The previous steel torrent as well, that was a scene she hadn¡¯t even imagined.


    Has this guy been sneaking glances at forbidden books somewhere, learning all these bizarre bits of knowledge.


    Cats are naturally curious creatures.


    She must think of a way in the future to steal the forbidden books Ethan has read!