Chapter 562: Helene
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Beyonder gathering? Klein thought for a bit, then he nodded and responded, “Okay.”
I should bring forward to the collection of the supplementary ingredients of the Nimblewright Master potion. I can also see if I might meet an Artisan… He subconsciously started to make arrangements in his mind.
Upon seeing Gehrman Sparrow agree, Danitz breathed a quiet sigh of relief, unable to contain his joy.
For the past few days, having had his bounty raised significantly, he had obediently stayed in the suite to monitor the radio transceiver. He was so bored that he yearned for the evening to arrive immediately.
The Beyonder gathering that Danitz mentioned was at the Amyris Leaf Bar, where pirates, informants, and adventurers were active. It was the first choice if one wanted to gather information and buy supplies.
Dressed in a black coat and silk top hat, Klein followed Danitz through the crowded bar’s lobby and into a card room. Under the watchful gaze of several bouncers, he gave the predetermined signal and descended down a flight of hidden stairs to a wide underground area.
It’s like the Evil Dragon Bar in Tingen City. There’s an underground market for herbs, essential oils, ancient books, charms, and all sorts of common mysticism materials. However, the difference is that there are also all sorts of guns and ammunition for sale. Klein even discovered antiquated muskets and lead bullets.
Heh, they also sell fake ident.i.ty doc.u.ments and fake seals… As expected of an overseas colony, their industry is much more developed than Tingen’s… I’ll buy a batch of ingredients later to make charms in the Sea G.o.d domain. There will always be some discounts if I purchase them in large quant.i.ties… Klein slightly turned his head from side to side to take in the situation in the underground area.
Next to him, Danitz, who was already doubtful about his own disguise skills, had deliberately put on a cap, keeping the front of his cap down to cover half his face. With great familiarity, he led Klein to the other end of the underground market and knocked on the closed door with two long knocks and four short knocks.
Behind the door, there was only a single candle. It swayed on the lampstand on the side wall, scattering yellow light onto the tiny room.
Danitz pointed to the long robes, masks, and other items which were hanging or placed on a table, and said to Klein, “It’s up to you to decide whether you would don a disguise. You can also choose not to.”
Klein looked around, his gaze sweeping past the bouncers in the room.
“I don’t need it.”
I am now an informant for the kingdom’s military, and the Church of Storms also knows of my ident.i.ty, so there’s nothing for me to be afraid of… If the pirates and adventurers have any malicious thoughts about me because of my lack of a disguise, and if they attempt to attack me, hehe… Klein suddenly pictured bounty rewards flying towards him one by one.
Danitz curled his lips secretly, picked up a black iron mask, and wore it.
Then, he and Klein pa.s.sed through a dim corridor and into another room under a bouncer’s lead.
The place was lavishly decorated. The floor was covered with a thick carpet from the Southern Continent; the walls were decorated with s.h.i.+ning lampstands, and the fresh smell of candles could be caught as they suffused with light.
Klein glanced around and, without Danitz’s help, found a brown leather sofa and sat down on it. He leaned back and crossed his right leg.
There were already more than twenty people of various genders gathered here. Some were in hooded robes, while others showed their faces. According to Danitz’s description in the morning, not all of the people attending this gathering were Beyonders, there were spokesmen for certain factions, as well as adventurers, pirates, and mysticism enthusiasts who wanted to become Beyonders.
Time slowly pa.s.sed in that quiet environment. About seven or eight minutes later, the old man who was sitting on a reclining chair straightened his back and crossed his hands. He chuckled.
“Everyone, let’s begin.”
Because he was old, his white hair was spa.r.s.e, leaving only a thin layer. However, his light brown eyes weren’t turbid, with them being bright and sharp.
“The organizer of the gathering, Strongman Ozil, a famous pirate in the past, and now the secret boss of the Amyris Leaf Bar,” Danitz leaned slightly and introduced the man to Klein with a suppressed voice.
He’d actually mentioned it in the morning, but he was afraid that Gehrman Sparrow failed to match a name to the face and would later vent his anger on himself.
It’s a sorrowful matter to have a secret grasped by others… Danitz sighed inwardly.
Klein nodded indiscernibly as he silently watched the transactions happen.
There were potion formulas for Warrior, Sailor, Mystery Pryer, and others, but no one bought them. The expectant sellers were disappointed again and again.
Danitz glanced at Gehrman Sparrow, who wore an expressionless face, he then leaned over, and explained in a low voice, “There is no Notary at this gathering, nor any powerful Seer. The authenticity of the potion formula cannot be guaranteed. It’s too easy to fake such things, and even if people recognize that the formula is fake, the seller cannot be punished because he might be a victim as well.”
I know… This is one of the reasons why potion formulas fail to be widely spread… Klein uncrossed his right leg, leaned forward slightly, and said in a voice that was neither loud nor low, “I need the remnant spirituality of an ancient wraith.”
He didn’t mention the eyes of a six-winged gargoyle, the spring water from Sonia Island’s Golden Spring, or any other supplementary ingredients. He was worried that others would guess that he was a Faceless who was preparing to advance to Nimblewright Master.
When he was in Tingen, Klein had relied on the purchase of supplementary ingredients to accurately suspect that Daxter Guderian was a prospective Spectator, and thus, he figured out his ident.i.ty as a member of the Psychology Alchemists.
It was impossible to deduce any more from the remnant spirituality of an ancient wraith alone, as many of the rituals in the undead domain would use it.
Although Klein didn’t disguise himself, he still had to be careful.
The room was silent for two seconds. Then, a slightly hoa.r.s.e voice sounded.
“How much do you need?”
Someone really has it? Klein controlled his expression and didn’t let his joy show on his face.
He tilted his head to look at the speaker and saw that he was a man in his thirties who was clearly of native blood.
The man’s skin was bronzed, but he had a dull l.u.s.ter from chronic malnutrition or a lack of light. His face was thin, his cheekbones protruded, and his eyes were sunken, more white than black.
“A small bottle.” Klein pulled out a small metal bottle as an example.
The thin, dark man was silent for a moment before saying, “500 pounds.”
That’s reasonable… Klein originally wanted to haggle, but he caught a glimpse of Danitz sitting beside him out of the corner of his eye.
I’m Gehrman Sparrow, a cold, crazy adventurer… Klein repeated this line three times inwardly, quietly took a deep breath, and calmly nodded.
“Okay.”
He took out the large stack of cash he had prepared, and he counted out a sum of 500 pounds.
The man with the mostly white eyes took out a gla.s.s test tube from his pocket, threw it at Klein, and said, “All the spirituality will be gone after a year.”
He wasn’t afraid that the other party wouldn’t be unable to catch it, because even if it were to break, it wouldn’t affect the material itself. It would only be a matter of changing the container.
Klein raised his right hand and accurately caught the gla.s.s tube. He saw many phosph.o.r.escent spots floating in the tube, and when they touched the gla.s.s wall, they would strangely expand, forming a face with blurred features that opened to form a mouth that screamed silently.
It’s real… Klein nodded to himself and handed the thick stack of cash worth 500 pounds to the attendant who approached and handed it to the seller.
The trading continued, most of it failing with only a small number succeeding.
At the end of the day, the gathering’s organizer, Strongman Ozil laughed and said, “I have a request.”
As he spoke, he pulled out a photo from his inside pocket.
“The reward for finding the person above is 1,000 pounds or some other common Beyonder ingredient of equal value. Remember, do not hurt her.”
1,000 pounds? This would make most adventurers go crazy… I wonder who he’s looking for, to offer such a high reward… Not surprisingly, Klein saw that everyone present was willing to give it a try.
The picture began to be pa.s.sed in a counterclockwise fas.h.i.+on, and a few minutes later, it was in Klein’s hands.
As he casually swept a glance over it, a bit of surprise suddenly surfaced in his heart.
The woman in the photo was rather pretty, with bright red hair and a pair of green eyes that resembled emeralds. Her skin wasn’t fair, but she gave off a healthy feeling.
At the time of the photoshoot, she was wearing a long, lake-colored skirt. Her waist was tightened with a flower-shaped ribbon, making her appear exceptionally slender. Although her face seemed to be smiling, her overall appearance was one of displeasure and awkwardness.
A girl with a good family background… Who would pay 1,000 pounds to find her? Furthermore, the premise is that she cannot be hurt… Hmm, a picture of her forcing a smile… Many romance stories with intertwined love and hate flashed in Klein’s mind.
Stories like a tyrannical pirate falling in love with a wealthy merchant’s daughter, abducting her onto his boat before she eventually escaped; or some n.o.ble lady from a declining n.o.ble family turning into a pirate, and was later caught due to a mistake, only to have a sinful relations.h.i.+p with a mid- or high-ranking Mandated Punisher or military officer, thus escaping from her predicament and imprisonment; how a newly advanced Demoness accidentally fell into a debt of love when giving someone pleasure… Such thoughts flashed through his mind, and Klein almost raised his hand to cover his face.
I’ve read too many novels in my previous life… And I happen to have a trauma because of Demonesses in this world… He sighed to himself, looked up at Ozil and asked, “What’s her name?”
“Helene,” Ozil answered succinctly, “but she must have switched to using a fake alias.”
Helene, a typical female Intis name… Klein asked again, “Is there anything she often wears?
“Hair is fine too.”
This was a medium that could be used to seek her with divination.
Klein didn’t mention things like recently worn clothes that hadn’t been washed, afraid that the employer behind the scenes would throw him a piece of lingerie, making it awkward.
Ozil shook his head.
“Nothing.
“She has a strong anti-tracking ability.”
“What’s her strength like?” another member of the gathering asked.
Ozil said in a serious manner, “The employer didn’t give a detailed description. It’s said that she isn’t too strong, but she’s stronger than a Sequence 9.
“You don’t need to capture her. As long as you determine her whereabouts, you will be paid.”