“How refreshing.”
Leaving the cathedral, Li Xiuman felt for the first time how wonderful freedom truly was.
Unlike White Bear City, the air in White Crystal City was sweet, filled with the scent of freedom.
In comparison, White Bear City was practically decaying and obsolete.
“Maybe I just shouldn't go back to White Bear City.”
Li Xiuman stroked his jawbone, pondering the idea.
But after thinking about the house prices and accommodation costs in White Crystal City, he decided against it.
White Bear City was actually pretty nice.
“To get rid of that strange evil god, I really must thank the Goddess of Light!”
Li Xiuman turned around and traced the symbol of the sun toward the cathedral.
He looked exactly like a devout believer of the Goddess of Light.
This made Li Xiuman shudder.
“Mind control... When did this happen?”
“As expected of the Goddess of Light. To think she would imperceptibly subject me to mind control to make me believe in her.”
Li Xiuman felt his heart race, then continued.
“Is she truly worthy of being the Goddess of Light? To think she would go to such lengths just to win me over.”
“To have both the Goddess and the evil god fighting over my faith... I really am a sinful skeleton.”
“Amen.”
Li Xiuman tightened his cloak, turned around, and walked away from the Grand Cathedral of the Goddess of Light.
The pouring sunlight stretched his shadow long across the ground.
His figure looked incredibly cinematic.
As an intellectual of the new era, coming to White Crystal City meant he had another destination in mind, aside from seeing if there was anything interesting for sale.
That destination was, naturally, the library of White Crystal City.
Four grand avenues divided White Crystal City into four districts, and each district had its own library.
Li Xiuman headed to the library in the southeastern district, where he currently was.
After borrowing some magic books and books related to golems, he left the library.
He would never stay in those terribly overpriced inns.
Finding a secluded corner, Li Xiuman lifted a sewer grate and climbed down.
Once inside, he found another hidden spot, used Earth Magic to create a private compartment, and sealed the entrance.
“Time to study!”
Under the light of his wand, Li Xiuman began his joyful study time.
No matter how many times he experienced this feeling of his brain being filled with knowledge, it was always somewhat addictive.
Inject a bit more, inject more! Knowledge!
...
White Feather Merchant Association.
Rorona listened to the report from his vampire subordinate, falling into deep thought.
“You're saying Master has come to White Crystal City?”
“Yes, Lord Rorona.”
Hearing the subordinate's report, Rorona became excited.
Was Master here... to visit him?
Was his work appreciated and recognized by Master?
For Master to personally come to White Crystal City to see him was truly overwhelming.
Rorona, calm down and think carefully.
Sister Jetis had already said that every word and action of Master had a deep meaning behind it.
He had to decipher Master's profound intent, find the path Master trod, and follow closely behind him.
“Where did Master go?”
Rorona asked.
“Master came by the White Feather Merchant Association, but then he left.”
“We don't know where Master went after that. After all, how would we dare pry into Master's whereabouts?”
The vampire answered calmly.
“He came to the White Feather Merchant Association...”
“Yet he didn't come inside.”
“Could it be...”
Rorona's eyes lit up.
Was Master unsatisfied with the progress of the White Feather Merchant Association?
After all, he didn't possess outstanding capabilities like Sister Jetis, so it was only natural for Master to be disappointed...
“We must begin the rescue mission for our new compatriots immediately!”
Rorona did not want to disappoint Master.
After all, Master had personally come to White Crystal City. If he still couldn't present results that satisfied Master, how could he face Master's trust in the future?
“Act tonight, according to our previous plan.”
“Infiltrate through the sewers, rescue them, and retreat.”
“Remember, this time we can only succeed. Failure is not an option!”
Rorona said solemnly.
“Yes, sir.”
Watching the vampire subordinate take the order and leave the room, Rorona walked over to the window.
“Master, I will absolutely not disappoint your expectations.”
“I wonder where Master is right now, and what he is doing.”
“Surely, our every move is within Master's grasp...”
...
“If I opened an orthopedic hospital, would I achieve complete financial freedom?”
In the damp, cold, and dark sewer, strange thoughts cropped up in the mind of the intensely studying Li Xiuman.
He shook his head vigorously, dispelling these bizarre ideas from his mind.
But ever since night fell, Li Xiuman had felt restless, unable to focus on his reading.
“What's with this feeling?”
“It feels like there's a thorn in my back.”
Having been ambushed not too long ago, Li Xiuman currently felt highly insecure.
Even inside the damp, chilly sewer compartment, his sense of security was practically nonexistent.
He checked the Omen Crystal multiple times, confirming that it indeed had not turned red.
“No way. That idiot Fusuida probably still thinks I'm in the succubus den.”
“There's no way he could find this place.”
“And he definitely wouldn't expect that I'm hiding in the sewers of White Crystal City reading 《The Encyclopedia of Magic Genius Design》.”
“In other words, I'm extremely safe in the sewers.”
Li Xiuman got up and paced back and forth inside the compartment.
He tried to calm his uneasy heart this way.
“Absolutely, there is absolutely no way anyone would just come into the sewers for no reason.”
“The sewers are damp, dark, and above all, incredibly safe!”
“The sewers are practically a paradise for skeletons!”
Thinking up to this point, his mind finally calmed down.
Compared to an overpriced inn where he was constantly at risk of having his door kicked in, the sewers were truly accommodating.
Li Xiuman even felt like living in the sewers for the rest of his life.
“I'm overthinking things.”
“I'm jumping at shadows.”
Li Xiuman shook his head, feeling pity for his own fragile and exhausted nerves.
It was all because of this dogshit world.
Sitting back down, he opened his magic book and resumed reading.
...
“To think we'd still get discovered! Dammit!”
Rorona and a group of vampires ran through the sewers alongside several vampires dressed in rags.
Behind them, a large number of guards followed in hot pursuit.
Among them were quite a few powerful Mages and Warriors.
“Lord Rorona, you take our compatriots and go! I will hold the rear!”
One of the vampires said with resolute determination.
“I will not abandon a single compatriot.”
“Otherwise, how could I face Master again!”
Rorona refused without the slightest hesitation.
“To the right!”
Rorona led the group as they sped forward, turning right at the intersection ahead.
Then, with a wave of Rorona's hand, a massive wave of black flames erupted behind them, burning into a fiery curtain.
“Go! I'll hold the rear!”
Rate on N.U.
