Chapter 27: Bet on Luck?

Chapter Twenty-Seven
Bet on Luck?

Skilled at mixing potions and treating illness, while growing quite a few herbs in the sewers… That should be an Apothecary, right? I wonder whether he is a member of the Life School of Thought, or a believer of the Earth Mother. Of course, the greatest possibility is that he is a wild Beyonder…

Klein listened thoughtfully from the side without rashly opening his mouth.

In the Loen Kingdom, because the Church of Storms rejected the Eternal Blazing Sun and the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, while the Church of the Evernight Goddess and the Church of the God of Combat were bitterly opposed, the only foreign religion granted the right to preach was the Church of the Earth Mother. Yet under the tacit suppression of the three great Churches, they had only a few scattered cathedrals. Their believers were so pitifully few that there was no need to form Beyonder squads; and even if they did, they would not be recognized by the government and could not cooperate with the police department. They would count as “illegal armed forces.”

The Nighthawks’ internal files recorded that the Church of the Earth Mother controlled two Sequence pathways: Planter and Apothecary. However, the latter did not seem especially complete.

The man suspected of being an Apothecary wore his hood pushed back, revealing a face covered by an iron-black mask. But the mask only covered the area above the bridge of his nose, leaving the fat of his cheeks clearly visible, as though it might tremble at any moment.

“I will repeat myself,” the man said, laying out his request and conditions. “I need someone to help me clear out the newly appeared beasts in the sewers. Only the Backlund Bridge area needs to be handled. As compensation, I will offer four precious potions. Two of them can effectively stop bleeding and accelerate wound healing. Believe me, they are better than getting sutures at a clinic. They remain effective for six months.”

He suddenly gave a low laugh and continued describing the rest.

“As for the other two, their effective period is one and a half months. They can let a gentleman regain the urges of his seventeen- or eighteen-year-old self and turn him into a Beyonder in bed. Heh, you understand what I mean. Even if the effective period has passed, they will still work. Only, the effect will expand from there to the entire body. The user will become exceptionally frenzied, with strength, speed, and agility all greatly increased. Uh… after half an hour, he will enter weakness.”

Why does this sound like a back-alley veteran doctor pasting little advertisements on telephone poles… And he is even shamelessly promoting expired medicine…

Klein could not help mocking inwardly.

After speaking, the suspected Apothecary saw that the sitting room remained silent and still no one responded. He could only grit his teeth and say, “Apart from the four precious potions, I will add another thirty pounds!”

At last, a man sitting near the edge of a sofa spoke.

He looked around and said in a deep voice, “I accept this commission. You will pay two potions in advance, one of each type, with Mr. Eye of Wisdom as witness.”

“No problem,” said an elderly man seated on a single sofa with a nod.

His nasolabial folds were deep, his skin slightly dry, and his voice carried an aged quality. From this, Klein judged him to be an old gentleman.

“All right.”

The suspected Apothecary breathed out in relief.

Once the transaction was established, the gathering seemed to grow a little livelier. Very soon, a woman whose face was completely hidden in the shadow of her hood spoke.

“I wish to sell two weapons.”

Weapons?

Klein adjusted his sitting posture, becoming even more attentive.

Unable to advance for the time being, the only way for him to improve his strength was to rely on external objects.

“The first is a rune steel sword, manufactured by the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun. It carries effects of purification and exorcism, and is the bane of undead creatures such as drowned ghosts, wraiths, and living corpses. It can still be used for another three years. Of course, its sharpness is also enough to kill people.”

The woman’s voice rose and fell in odd patterns, clearly concealing her characteristics.

“For five hundred pounds, or the formula for Sequence 8 Barbarian, you may have it.”

So expensive… For me, there is no compelling reason to obtain it… If I really encounter an undead creature I cannot deal with at present, blowing the copper whistle would be a better method… Even without asking Mr. Azik, that messenger alone should be enough to intimidate many undead creatures…

Klein secretly shook his head and listened as the lady introduced the second weapon.

“A meat saw. A meat saw with an ingenious mechanical structure, able to transform and easy to carry. It is a practical weapon for real combat, crafted by an outstanding Artisan and not often seen. Twenty-five pounds.”

The price difference between weapons with supernatural effects and similar weapons without them really is enormous…

Klein watched the following proceedings from the side until the rune steel sword was purchased by a gloomy man in another corner, while the meat saw became part of Mr. Eye of Wisdom’s collection.

Of the next several trades, some succeeded and some failed. The only thing that tempted Klein was a “Fortune Accessory,” a mystical item that could improve one’s financial luck for three months. But this was not his main objective, and its price was not at all beautiful.

Seeing that the scene had once more fallen into silence, he slowly exhaled and lowered his voice.

“I wish to sell an item.”

After attracting everyone’s gaze, he took out an iron cigarette case and pushed out that deep-red, jelly-like Beyonder characteristic.

Without needing to organize his words, having long since prepared them, he introduced it.

“This is something I obtained from a corpse. I do not know what use it has. I only felt that it seemed rather magical. Perhaps someone among you recognizes it?”

Klein deliberately did not mention that it was a Beyonder characteristic, nor did he say that the deep-red “jelly” in his hand could replace the main ingredients of the Hunter potion.

This involved the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Indestructibility, and he did not wish to cheaply benefit the members of this Beyonder gathering.

In addition, Klein also had a probing motive. He wanted to see whether anyone here knew the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Indestructibility. Such a person would certainly be stronger than the others, or have a more substantial background, and would be more suitable for a bodyguard commission.

At the same time, he continued pretending to be an ordinary person who did not understand Beyonder circles well enough. Although the gathering members could not see through the iron mask and glimpse his face, Kaspars Kanlinen knew his appearance, and many people in the sitting room should know that black-market arms dealer.

“Careful” and “cautious” were the words Klein had been constantly emphasizing to himself before and after leaving home today.

One gaze after another examined the deep-red object in his hand. But Klein was not a Spectator, and he could not distinguish the specific meanings behind them.

More than ten seconds passed. No one spoke. The sitting room was quiet as a graveyard.

Just then, the old gentleman on the single sofa—Mr. Eye of Wisdom—coughed.

“I roughly know what it is, and I am clear on what use it has. But knowledge requires compensation in exchange.”

“I offer four hundred pounds. Believe me, this is an absolutely fair price. Of course, you have the right to refuse.”

The main ingredients for a Sequence 9 potion are roughly between 150 and 200 pounds. Two are needed, making about 400 pounds in total… The offer is very reasonable… This old gentleman codenamed Eye of Wisdom seems to have recognized that it belongs to the Hunter Sequence… Not through divination, but direct recognition… Could he be Sequence 7 Appraiser of the Savant pathway?

After thinking for a moment, Klein said, “Deal.

“However, sir, there is no need to pay in a hurry. I still have a commission.”

“What commission?”

Mr. Eye of Wisdom’s aged voice asked.

Klein weighed his words, then said, “The matter is like this. I offended someone, uh, in the terms of your circle, probably a Sequence 6, perhaps even a Sequence 5. I wish to hire a bodyguard.”

“Sequence 6, perhaps Sequence 5? Why do you not simply die quietly by yourself? If we had reached that level, why would we still attend small gatherings like this?”

The suspected Apothecary blurted it out, his shock mixed with a degree of ridicule.

Although the other members of the gathering did not speak, the fact that no one accepted the task showed that their thoughts were not far from the suspected Apothecary’s.

Mr. Eye of Wisdom chuckled.

“Perhaps you do not yet understand our circle well enough. Sequence 6, or Sequence 5, are extremely powerful and terrifying figures. Yes, there have indeed been many cases where Sequence 8 or Sequence 9 Beyonders killed powerhouses of that level, but those are all difficult-to-replicate experiences. I do not think anyone present is willing to take an enormous risk to protect you. Uh… if it can be confirmed that the other party is only Sequence 6 and has no corresponding mystical items, perhaps someone may challenge the task.”

“Fine. I cannot confirm it…”

Klein spread his hands, then changed the topic.

“Then I can only work hard to save myself. What can four hundred pounds buy? Uh, I mean the mystical items you were speaking about just now.”

“Believe me, any mystical item that four hundred pounds can purchase definitely cannot deal with your enemy. It may even bring you additional danger. I suggest you apologize to the other party, sincerely apologize. Perhaps four hundred pounds can purchase his forgiveness,” Mr. Eye of Wisdom sincerely advised.

To be honest, I have considered it. But I do not think they would accept…

Klein was just about to respond when the man who had earlier accepted the commission to clear out sewer beasts suddenly laughed.

“Perhaps you can bet on luck.”

“I have a mystical item here. I will sell it to you for four hundred pounds.”

“It can let you hear the voice of a great existence. If your luck is good and you interpret useful information from it, you will become very powerful, and protecting yourself will no longer be a problem. Mm, if your luck is poor and you interpret a curse, or fail to interpret it, you will suffer harm—even death.

“Do you want to take the gamble?”

Before he even finished, the old gentleman Eye of Wisdom growled in a low voice, “Black Snake, do not mention that ominous item of yours!”

Black Snake chuckled.

“I did not lie. I did not violate the rules here. I told him both the benefits and the harms and let him choose for himself. Mm, the probability of interpreting useful information is roughly, roughly only ten percent. Will you bet?”

The supernatural world’s Russian roulette… Hearing the voice of a great existence… Is this something from a Listener of the Aurora Order? A remnant left behind after Sequence 8 Listener, corresponding to Secrets Suppliant, lost control?

Klein looked toward Black Snake, who was suspected to be a member of the Aurora Order, and thought of many things.

Perhaps I can take the gamble? No, it cannot be called gambling, because I will bring this item above the gray fog before using it… I can already take real-world objects above the gray fog… This way, I can avoid harm to the greatest extent… The only thing is, this is merely the relic of a Sequence 8 Beyonder. The corresponding harvest may not necessarily be very good… Four hundred pounds is not cheap…

As thoughts flashed through him, Klein solemnly nodded.

“Deal.”