Chapter 133: The Magician Before Going on Stage

Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Three
The Magician Before Going on Stage

At ten o’clock that night, in the alley behind Bravehearts Bar.

Wearing a black double-breasted formal frock coat and a half top hat of the same color, Klein merely made one circle around the place, then, as he had done last time, began strolling toward the nearest street.

He had just stepped out of the alley when a carriage stopped before him. Behind the glass window were Maric’s brown eyes, in which malice was always being suppressed.

Klein pressed a hand to the half top hat on his head, held his solid cane, and calmly boarded, as though the carriage before him had been hailed by his own raised hand.

He sat down and straightened his bow tie, like a gentleman on the way to a banquet.

“That outfit is not suited for battle,” Maric said, wearing a white shirt, black waistcoat, and tight trousers. He looked him up and down several times and pinched the brow that had suddenly furrowed.

It was clear that he still held some doubt toward Klein’s strength, though he had chosen to trust Sharron.

Klein smiled with complete ease.

“My Beyonder abilities differ from yours, and so does my battle style. Clothes like this will not cause any negative effect. In fact, they suit me rather well. For instance, there are many pockets, allowing different items to be kept in different places, so that in a moment of panic I do not grab the wrong thing and bury my life in an absurd mistake.”

As he spoke, he removed from a sewn hidden pocket the remaining three vials of sedative—the special sedatives concocted by the Apothecary!

His voice had only just faded when, beside the other carriage window, a figure rapidly outlined itself.

A figure in a black court dress, wearing a small soft hat.

This was Sharron, Sequence 5 powerhouse of the Mutant pathway: the Wraith.

“You explained too much.”

Sharron’s blue eyes looked toward Klein, her tone drifting.

“Not natural enough.”

…I was only trying to gradually enter a performing state…

Klein gave two dry chuckles and responded, “Perhaps because I am a little nervous.”

Without waiting for Sharron to speak again, he passed those three vials of sedative to Maric.

“Find your own chance to drink them.”

“I believe you are definitely more experienced than I am. You will not drink them too early, nor too late, and you certainly will not drink too little or too much.”

Maric looked at the sealed, transparent glass test tubes and lightly shook the liquid inside.

“Two and a half vials. Any more, and I would truly become sedate. I would not want to do anything for a short while.”

“Excellent.”

Klein praised him, then turned toward Sharron.

“Have you decided on the ambush location?”

Sharron lightly nodded.

“We are on the way there.”

She did not directly reveal the predetermined battlefield to Klein.

Very cautious. Very careful…

Klein thought for a moment, then instead asked, “Will the power of purification harm you?”

“It will harm a Living Corpse. It will also harm me when I become a Spirit Body,” Sharron answered extremely concisely.

In other words, when a Sequence 5 Wraith is still in a fleshly state, purification has difficulty producing an effect…

Thoughtful, Klein asked further, “What about exorcism?”

“Demon hunting?”

Because they were dealing with a powerhouse of the same pathway, Sharron did not conceal anything.

“Demon hunting damages our bodies. Exorcism can harm both body and Spirit Body, but neither is fatal enough.”

Klein sketched a smile and breathed out.

“I understand.”

After thinking briefly, he carefully asked one more question.

“Can you sense any powers of purification or exorcism right now?”

“No,” Maric answered hoarsely from the side.

Good. The Spirituality Cage derived from a wall of spirituality really can isolate the Sun Brooch’s influence. But I am so hot…

Klein sighed inwardly, then confirmed, “Aside from the Crimson Moon Crown, do Wraith Steve, Living Corpse Jason, and Werewolf Tyre possess any other mystical items or Beyonder weapons?”

“We do not know,” Maric said, pinching his brow again and appearing somewhat irritable.

With the battle imminent, for him—someone who was already suppressing malice and desire—some emotional fluctuation was difficult to avoid.

Sharron listened quietly to the end and replied in a tone without ripples:

“Under the Crimson Moon Crown’s influence, Jason and Tyre will be in a relatively frenzied state.”

“Even if they have mystical items, they will lack the reason to use them.”

“Unless they are passive,” Maric added. “And for a Werewolf, his claws are his Beyonder weapon. I am the same, Tyre is the same, and Jason is the same. They can tear through steel and carry poison.”

Klein’s gaze shifted slightly, and he nodded.

“All right. I have no more questions.”

On a night when pedestrians had already grown sparse, the carriage raced rapidly ahead, its wheels from time to time rolling through puddles and splashing up tiny stains.

After ten or so minutes, Maric had the living corpse driving the carriage rein in the horses.

Klein looked out through the glass window and saw a place where dilapidated buildings layered into darkness. Not far away came the rushing sound of flowing water.

“This is the West Balam Dockyard. It was abandoned a year ago and will soon be reconstructed. Our planned ambush point is in its warehouse district,” Maric introduced.

The abandoned West Balam Dockyard… If anything truly goes wrong, the Tussock River is the best escape route… According to my earlier survey, if I leave here and walk northwest for about two kilometers, there is a Lever Church belonging to the God of Steam and Machinery…

Klein rapidly recalled the surroundings.

He alighted from the carriage, leisurely adjusted his clothes, took his cane, and followed Sharron and Maric deeper into the dockyard that was about to be rebuilt.

After walking five or six minutes, they arrived at an open area enclosed by several warehouses.

The soil here was dark brown. Withered weeds lay flattened all over the place, while a wooden box sat quietly in a remote, dim corner.

“That is the explosives you asked for,” Maric said, pointing.

Klein nodded.

“You are not afraid some vagrant will steal them?”

“My living corpses sleep underground here. Once anyone enters, they will scare that person away.”

Maric pointed out several different locations.

“When you bury the bombs, avoid them.”

“No problem.”

Klein nodded with a light laugh, then asked, “If I use purification and exorcism abilities now, will they hurt your little fellows?”

“No. In their sleeping state, they are equivalent to corpses. There is also thick soil blocking it,” Maric answered with certainty.

After Sharron looked around once, she rarely spoke at length.

“You will make your preparations here. We will lure the enemies over.”

“This will not take more than thirty minutes. Grasp the time well.”

“When your preparations are complete, randomly hide inside one of the warehouses. Do not rush to act. You must have patience.”

“No matter how dangerous the scene becomes, treat it as normal.”

“When I become weak and the Crimson Moon Crown appears, use that eye to find Steve and launch a sudden attack on him. I will use my mystical item to cooperate with you.”

Klein listened seriously to the end, then gave a low laugh.

“A very simple plan.”

“The simpler the plan, the more effective it is,” Sharron calmly replied.

Maric pinched his forehead, shook his head, and said, “Steve is not a fool. A complicated plan only needs one problem to collapse completely.”

Once the exchange was finished, Sharron’s figure instantly vanished, and Maric sprinted away from the dockyard.

Watching them leave, Klein took out a small square iron box from his coat pocket. A thin “membrane” formed from spirituality clung tightly to it. This was the Spirituality Cage evolved from a wall of spirituality.

It could, to a certain degree, isolate certain mystical items’ influence on the outside world, but it could not reduce the negative effects placed upon the holder.

Of course, those Sealed Artifacts that were too powerful or too bizarre were absolutely not things a Spirituality Cage could handle. Those required specialized, corresponding, and particular sealing environments.

Four warehouses, overgrown weeds, muddy ground because of the recent rain…

Klein pulled out a strip of paper and casually flicked it.

Pa!

The paper immediately stretched taut, becoming rigid as iron plate.

Holding that paper, Klein swiftly dug a very shallow pit in the center of the open area, buried the square iron box in his hand there, leaving only a thin layer of soil separating it from the outside world.

After that, he took the sticks of dynamite from the wooden box and buried them separately in different corners and different warehouses.

The few sticks left at the end, he buried all near the center.

Once he had finished, he drew his revolver and once again adjusted the ratio of its bullets: three Purifying rounds and two Exorcism rounds.

Stuffing the revolver into the underarm holster, Klein tidied his clothes, arrived at the gap between two warehouses, and threw a paper figurine there, directly over the bomb he had buried.

He examined the surroundings once more, then took out another square iron box, removed the Spirituality Cage around it, and withdrew that dark-gold brooch shaped like a sunbird. With solemnity, he pinned it to the left side of his chest.

Hoo…

Klein exhaled, left the area, made a circle outside, discarded a few inconspicuous things, and set the paper strip he had used on fire.

After returning, he climbed to the roof of a warehouse and hid himself in the shadows.

After counting and confirming the various charms, hydrosols, and herbal powders, Klein touched the iron cigarette case and snapped his fingers.

The paper figurine he had earlier tossed into the gap between two warehouses immediately stood up, becoming a gentleman in a black double-breasted formal frock coat, a half silk top hat, and holding a solid cane.

The gentleman’s position was extremely remote and concealed. Anyone entering from outside would find it very difficult to see him.

And with it serving as his substitute, Klein’s figure vanished completely from where he was.

Even so, his vision was not affected in any way. He could still clearly see the path leading into the open area.

Although he had finished his preparations, although he had experienced many battles, at this moment, Klein still felt some fear and unease.

Even the finest performance might be seen through!

Moreover, on the other side was a Sequence 5 powerhouse holding a mystical item, along with one Sequence 6 and one Sequence 7!

“Is this the state of every magician before taking the stage?”

Klein soundlessly inhaled, suppressing the emotions in his heart and the burning heat of his body.

Tonight, the crimson moon had remained covered by clouds. Only faint light shone inside the open space.

Before long, Klein saw three figures approach at astonishing speed.

One in front, one in the middle, and one behind!