This was a blurry image that Lianna saw.
She rubbed her eyes and shook her head to look again, only to realize it was just her imagination—the carriage that had entered the yard was an ordinary one.
“Hey, hey, Hero, are you up yet? “
Last night’s investor turned out to be a man from Fogfolk’s rented land—a sturdy, middle-aged man in his forties or fifties, brimming with youthful vitality.
He dashed into the courtyard hugging a box, spotting a weary-faced Lianna walking out with Yang Zicang, her efforts to mask her dejection only too obvious.
“Hey, hope I didn’t interrupt anything. “
“Of course not, ” Yang Zicang said in a gentle tone. “Thanks for your investment last night, Mr. Leonardo. “
The name sounded fake at first glance.
“Hahaha! I should be thanking you! After idling this whole time, last night I just drank and pulled an all-nighter, and out of nowhere I got a shot at Radiance. You’re my lucky charm, hero sir. “
With that, the man winked teasingly at Lianna.
Lianna mustered a lifeless fake smile, her mind dwelling on her father still lying in the morgue on the company grounds, clueless of what to do, relying on Mr. Theodore to handle the rest.
“Wait—do you investors also get Radiance? ” Yang Zicang wondered with surprise. Could fighting these nightmare fiends actually grant a ‘Glory Light’ to backers here?
But Leonardo quickly dispelled his notion.
“No way, it just gave us a possibility. And that’s exactly why I’m here now—to keep that possibility alive. “
Leonardo turned around and picked up a box from the carriage behind him, shaking it.Ding-ling-dang-dang—came the sound of bottles and jars clattering from inside.
Yang Zicang and Liena craned their necks to look. Inside the heavy, dark wooden box in his arms were glass bottles filled with powders of various colors, alongside some dull crystal fragments that looked like solidified volcanic magma.
“… ” Yang Zicang fell silent for a moment, then said, “Brother, look at the state I’m in. You’re not really thinking I’ll stick with this event and run around stirring up trouble with you, are you? “
He pointed at his face, covered in burn scars.
“This is exactly what I came for. ” Leonardo propped the box up with his knee and pointed a finger at the glass bottles inside. “These were all extracted overnight from the rubble of that big creature on our rented land. Don’t underestimate them—every bit is essence. “
-｛Distributor February. Di’an voiced, with ample experience, that I might be on the verge of birthing a brand-new Radiant Light.｝
Yang Zicang rubbed his chin, which was completely smooth and beardless.
“What do you mean by that? “
“A friend from your country once said something: ‘An antidote is always within seven steps.’ It’s about that idea. The reason healing-type Ability Spheres couldn’t restore your wounds to their original state is precisely because of the energy that caused them. “
A glimmer of realization flickered in Yang Zicang’s eyes.
“You mean, the energy extracted can be used to make some special medicine that’ll neutralize the injuries on my body? “
“Mm-hmm, that’s exactly it. As expected of a hero. “
As he spoke, Leonardo’s face lit up as he looked down at a knot on his necklace, strung with a full five small beads.
“A ha! Just as I thought, just as I thought! This is a new node, my friend. You’ll definitely be able to use these materials to heal the wounds on your body! “
Yang Zicang looked over at Liana beside him. The young girl was momentarily stunned for a second, then forced a strained smile at him and silently stood to one side.
Leonardo keenly sensed that something was off. The hand that pointed to the glass bottle and materials went to rub at his chin in a way that mirrored Yang Zicang’s earlier gesture just barely. The box on his knee nearly capsized in the process.
“Ah, watch out! “
Liana reached out quickly to steady it.
“Oh, thank you! Oof, my God, my Radiant… ah, no, Mr. Buchen’s restorative medicine… that was a close one… hehehe. “
Yang Zicang smiled and was about to speak, when suddenly everyone heard the sound of carriage wheels.
Liana looked towards the entrance of the small courtyard within the rented plot, confused. This place was supposed to require an oath of acknowledgment to enter. Why were carriages rumbling by, one after another, as if it were just an ordinary street?
But soon, the rumble of those carriage wheels came to a stop.
The simple gate had only been left ajar. Someone—an energetic young man—knocked rhythmically three times, and in a deep, strong voice, asked:
“Excuse me, is this the residence of Mr. Yang Bucheng, the Fogfolk man? “
Upstairs in the neighboring building, Bai Yuxian’s figure appeared at the window. Glancing down, his expression shifted slightly before he immediately withdrew his head behind the curtain.
At that brief, fleeting moment, Otto outside looked up toward that spot on instinct.
“Come in. ” A young man’s voice came from within the courtyard.
The door was pushed open by the imposing, bodyguard-like young man who had knocked, revealing the carriage outside. Quickly, a sharp-looking man in his twenties jumped down from the carriage, turned back, and extended his hand in a supporting gesture.
In a daze, Liana felt as if she saw him supporting an older man wearing glasses, who stepped down from the carriage with evident fatigue.
When the older man straightened up and glanced over casually—
Liana felt her dulled mind begin to churn again.
She had… seen… the future?
Was this… real?
“I apologize for the abrupt visit, Mr. Yang. ” The elderly man’s warm voice drew the attention of Leonardo, who had been observing Liana’s changing expression. What a unique aura this old gentleman had—he must be someone of considerable status.
Yang Zicang withdrew his attention from Bai Yuxian’s window. In an instant, a thought struck him: given that guy’s reaction, this man before him might be someone he knows?
“How do you do, everyone. “
After exchanging greetings, the old man, introducing himself as Long Sass, said, “Quite the commotion last night, those of us old neighbors were truly unnerved by the ruckus. Hearing this morning that it was you, sir, who put down the calamity, we came specifically to express our gratitude and see if there’s anything we can do to help. “
His gaze naturally then fell upon the materials Patton had brought, which were laid out on the stone table, a glint of scholarly curiosity flickering in his eyes. Otto recognized at once that this researcher’s professional habit had kicked in again.
“These are for crafting the restorative elixir for our ‘hero’ here, ” Leonardo interjected at an opportune moment in introduction.
“I see, I thought as much. The elemental aura clinging to these items is vastly different from ordinary Nightmare-tainted materials. “
“Clinging elemental aura? “
Yang Zicang cast a glance at the contents within the box.
A smile lit up Leonardo’s face. “So you, sir, have the ability to discern elemental energies with just your naked eyes? How remarkable. You’re not from the Fogfolk, are you? “
Though one can fake ear shape, the other party hadn’t activated the model halo upon his chest earlier, and the only possibility was that this gentleman’s glasses were specially made.
The Major General hadn’t expected that a single sentence would reveal so much information. He let out a soft sigh—truly, staying up all night riding in a carriage had his mind addled and muddled.
“This gentleman here is a collector. Things like this that’ve passed through our old man’s hands alone numbered nowhere near a mere thousand or eight hundred. “
“Ah, I see…” Leonardo felt a slight letdown. He had thought this man might have some connection with the burgeoning Radiance, but it turned out to be mere empirical judgment.
“Let’s talk inside.” Yang Zicang gestured sideways, raising an arm in a welcoming motion.
……
He Yishu, now in casual, comfortable attire, was brewing tea for them at a wall table nearby.
The five of them sat on sofas flanking a long window-side table, facing each other as they discussed the Corruption-rank Malformed Nightmare Material inside the box.
“He named himself Euboros. Mr. Sass, among the similar items you’ve handled, have there ever been Malformed Nightmare molds or materials that bore names?“
At Yang Zicang’s question, Leonardo nodded approvingly and thought to himself,I could have asked this myself—why didn’t it occur to me?
“It named itself? Ah… this is no ordinary Corruption-rank malformed nightmare. May I ask, Mr. Yang, how did you manage to dispatch it so quickly? As far as I know, some of our Fogfolk brothers seem to need years to grow strong enough to handle such a level of fiend alone.“
The elderly man before him was indeed extraordinary. Was he truly just a collector? Could collecting something like this be a hobby?
Recalling Bai Yuxian’s reaction, Yang Zicang silently sized up the man’s appearance. Come to think of it… whether it was Otto by his side or the bearing of the attendants outside the courtyard… weren’t these few people Helmützo people?
Thinking of this, Yang Zicang’s heart instantly stirred to life.
“Tea is here. “
He Yishu came over with a smile, carrying the tea tray in his hands.
Yang Zicang turned to Lena and said, “Lena, we need to discuss some matters. None of us got much rest last night—you should go and sleep well. “
Lena nodded obediently, stood up, and said, “Then I’ll go get some rest, ” walking toward her small room.
Watching the girl’s departing silhouette, Otto chuckled and turned, “A well-informed yet quiet lass. How about it, our hero Sir, any thought of taking a local bride? “
“Ah, that is… “
The old gentleman turned to Otto and chided him with a smile, “Aren’t you unreasonably joking? “
He Yishu chuckled as he set the teacup down before Yang Zicang. “I think that suggestion is worth considering. “
“Alright, alright, let’s not talk about those matters. Gentlemen, first try our Fog Bang tea leaves. “
……
Leaving the amenities for now, the young girl returned to her own room and sat quietly on the bed, all the light in her gaze vanishing at this moment.
Sorrow surged torrentially in the silence.
What could she possibly do…
The question kept rolling through her mind—over and over again.
Her father was gone, and in her recklessness, the Secret Box had completely turned into a monster and could not be retrieved.
If she were an ordinary person, she would never feel despair until calamity struck… But she, who is privy to the end of this world, will never regain her former feelings…
“Should I return to White Violet City to spend the final moments of my life… just like Mister Coachman. “
She looked at everyone, thinking silently, would Mr. Hero take her away? No, he wouldn’t…
After all, they were nothing more than chance acquaintances; along the way, he had already helped her more than enough.
At this thought, tears once again welled up in her eyes. After crying softly for a short while, Liana got up, fetched a tissue from the table, wiped her eyes, and then looked down at the soft, spotlessly white paper in her hands. This material felt just like cotton cloth. She truly couldn’t imagine what kind of life the Fogfolk led in their own world.
……
Ever since the initial awkward encounter, Suss had been watching Yang Zicang carefully.
Though he had sustained some physical injuries, this young man carried himself as if nothing had happened. Moreover, he had already made two covert attempts to probe into Suss’s background.
Since Otto had opportunely created a “collector” identity for him, following this Major’s lead to establish a connection with the man before him should be no problem at all.
With that thought, Suss picked up his teacup, took a sip, praised the tea twice, then set the cup down and said,
“To be honest, the reason for this sudden visit is also out of curiosity about what kind of monster that was last night. I heard the City Guard has been thrown into complete turmoil—it has even stirred up the Duke and the Crown Prince.“
“That’s right. The scale of this incident was just too massive. Thankfully, it was resolved swiftly, or the casualties would have been catastrophic. On behalf of the townspeople of Qingfan, I would like to express our gratitude to you, Mr. Hero,” the Steffin Major said solemnly.
“You’re welcome. It was nothing, really.“
“How can you say it’s nothing? Wow, Mr. Buchen, if you’re too embarrassed to talk, I’ll do it for you. ” Leonardo turned his head and began pouring out every detail of last night’s experience in a ceaseless torrent.
Yang Zicang gave a bitter smile and shook his head at He Yishu, who was glancing his way. He knew perfectly well that this guy beside him was definitely using the excuse of “the oath ” to test whether he could exploit an opportunity to expand the scope of the “Radiance incident. “
As Yang Zicang finished a brief description of that final sword strike, the old gentleman’s eyes widened in shock. “Wait, wait. The few kinds of colored light you mentioned—could they be borrowed from the power of the Elemental Fields?! Does that mean you already possess a Three-Ring Bloodline Statue?! “
‘He even knows about the statue, hmm… this man is no ordinary collector. He shares a profound connection with the Fogfolk.’
‘Or maybe he’s just a shady broker peddling materials?’
With this thought, Yang Zicang found it less surprising that Bai Yuxian would know someone like this. If this man discovered that Bai Yuxian was here, even if the oath forbid outsiders from being informed, a well-placed hint would likely be enough to pass the information along.
Seeing Yang Zicang had no intention of answering, Suss continued:
“So you’re already able to borrow the power of five Elemental Secret Arts to mobilize the Elemental Fields, correct? If that’s the case, you can use that power of yours to sense the elemental attachments upon these materials. “
-｛Distributor Tata Mingchi says, “Approved! “｝
“What?! ” Leonardo shot to his feet, his shocked gaze darting from Yang Zicang to the old gentleman opposite him.
My god, these two guys are characters that constantly shock me, again and again!
“You mean, the power of the Elemental Field can be used like that? ” Yang Zicang’s interest was instantly piqued.
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