The old man’s face was covered in wrinkles, showing his advanced age, but his eyes were bright, lacking any trace of senescence; instead, they held a sharp and profound depth.
“Are you willing to learn magic from me?”
Frank spoke slowly, his tone calm yet carrying an inherent power. “I will teach you the strongest magic and show you how to become powerful quickly.”
Ryan froze for a moment, clearly not expecting the old man to say such a thing. For a time, he was at a loss for words.
Frank looked at him and repeated, “I will teach you to become strong and help you fulfill your wish.”
Ryan remained silent for a few seconds. Images of that man’s corpse flashed through his mind, along with Allen’s expectations and his own determination for revenge.
Then, he suddenly looked up and nodded vigorously, his eyes resolute. “I am willing! I want to become strong; I must have my revenge!”
Frank glanced at him without saying another word, then turned and walked toward the door.
Ryan hesitated for a split second before immediately dropping his fork and following closely behind, terrified of missing this chance to gain power.
As he reached the doorway, he subconsciously looked back.
He saw Amelia holding her rabbit plushie, waving at him gently with that same brilliant smile on her face.
The door closed softly, and silence returned to the dining room.
Allen leaned back against his chair and picked up his wine glass, his gaze falling on the flickering flames in the fireplace. His expression was unreadable, lost in thought.
Amelia also leaned back, clutching her rabbit plushie. Her gaze was vacant, focused on nothing in particular.
In her mind, she was thinking about returning to Myriad City. Bai Xuan was likely still near the dungeon doing commissions.
By the time he finished his work and returned to town, she would probably be gone.
But it didn't matter; she had already given Bai Xuan that Icarus Magic Academy credential.
If he was truly interested, he would eventually go to the academy. When that time came, they would surely have a chance to meet again.
Resting her chin on her hand, she watched the dancing candlelight and gradually drifted into a daze, her eyes filled with curiosity about the unknown and a faint, imperceptible trace of anticipation.
Not long after, the door was pushed open once more.
This time, the person who entered was tall and thin, bringing a faint, chilly breeze that instantly dispelled the warmth in the dining room.
Amelia didn't look back, but in her vision, a dark, sticky grey-purple hue had already emerged—a color so cold and biting that it was deeply unsettling.
Her brow furrowed slightly before she slowly lowered her eyes again, continuing to fiddle with the rabbit plushie in her arms.
The man stopped at the door and bowed slightly in a respectful posture.
He wore a well-tailored black formal suit, and his skin was unnaturally pale, reflecting a cold luster under the candlelight.
His short hair was slicked back against his scalp, reflecting a metallic-like cold light, giving him an aura of eerie refinement.
“Lord Allen, Miss Amelia.”
His voice was gentle, yet it lacked any hint of warmth. “The town ball has been prepared. I wonder if the Lord and Miss have any interest in attending to soothe your exhaustion from these past few days?”
Allen didn't respond immediately. He remained leaning against the chair, his fingers lightly tapping the table, his expression calm and unreadable.
After a moment, he spoke slowly in a flat tone, “Lord Zane, I appreciate the sentiment, but there is no need for a ball.”
Pausing, he added, “We will be leaving Blackcreek Town in a few days. The issues with the dungeon have been temporarily resolved, and no further accidents should occur in the near future.”
“If there are any further disturbances later, we will return in a timely manner.”
The respectful smile on Zane Cross’s face didn't change in the slightest.
However, if one observed closely, they would notice that his shoulders had quietly relaxed.
“Since you have no intention of attending, then I shall not disturb you further.”
He bowed slightly once more, his tone remaining respectful. “I wish the Lord and Miss a smooth and pleasant stay for your remaining days in Blackcreek Town.”
With that, he slowly backed out of the room and closed the door softly without making a sound.
Yet the moment the door closed, though his smile remained unchanged, his eyes instantly darkened, a cold light flashing through them.
Walking out of the noble mansion, Zane’s pace didn't falter as he walked along the stone path.
He habitually stayed within the shadows on either side of the road.
“The Mulan family... Hmph, nothing more than this,” he sneered inwardly, his eyes full of disdain and mockery.
Those necromancy experiments, those disappearing commoners—they hadn't discovered a thing.
Their only goal in coming to Blackcreek Town was the dungeon; they had never paid any attention to him, let alone noticed the secrets he was hiding.
This was for the best; it saved him a lot of trouble.
Zane looked up at the night sky. The moon was obscured by thick clouds, revealing only a faint, blurry light that cast the streets into alternating patches of light and shadow.
“Just endure for a few more days,” he muttered to himself. “Once they have completely left, I’ll go find that gemstone. When that time comes...”
He lowered his head, a sinister smile slowly curling his lips.
Then, he vanished completely into the boundless darkness, as if he had never been there at all.
Inside the mansion, Amelia stood up slowly from her chair while holding her rabbit plushie. She gave a small yawn, her voice full of exhaustion. “I’m going back to rest too. I’m so sleepy.”
Allen nodded, his tone gentle. “Sleep early. Don't stay up late.”
Amelia gave a response and turned toward the door, but as she reached it, she suddenly stopped.
She looked down at the rabbit plushie in her arms.
Hidden in a small pocket on the plushie’s clothes were the observation notes she had written about Bai Xuan.
“Bai Xuan...” she whispered the name in her heart. “Just who are you?”
Then, she stopped thinking about it, pushed the door open, and slowly walked out.
...
Early the next morning, Bai Xuan pushed open the inn door and stepped out into the morning streets.
After a quick breakfast, he set off for the Adventurer’s Guild. When he pushed the door open, there weren't many people in the hall.
A few adventurers sat scattered at long tables, most with their heads down in low conversation, making the atmosphere rather quiet.
At a table by the window, a figure saw him enter and immediately stood up, moving so urgently he nearly knocked over the cup in front of him. It was Owen.
On the table before him sat a cup of nearly untouched barley tea and a folded commission slip. He had clearly been waiting there for quite some time.
Owen hurried over and stopped before Bai Xuan, his tone carrying a hint of tension. “Mr. Bai Xuan.”
He took a deep breath and spoke slowly, “We’ve discussed it. We accept your conditions.”
Bai Xuan simply looked at him calmly without responding, clearly waiting for him to continue.
“However,” Owen paused, his tone softening slightly, “one specific item will be produced during the commission, and I hope it can go to me.”
He looked up to meet Bai Xuan’s gaze, his eyes filled with complexity. “That was my original reason for taking this commission. I hope you can understand.”
Owen didn't explicitly say what the item was, and Bai Xuan didn't ask, simply replying, “That’s fine.”
He then added, “I only want the reward and the finishing blows on the monsters. You can distribute everything else as you see fit.”
Hearing this, Owen visibly relaxed. His tense shoulders slumped slightly, and his hands hanging at his sides loosened.
“Great,” he said, his tone a bit lighter. “Then let’s go to the front desk to accept the mission now.”
The two walked to the front desk together, where a young clerk was busy organizing documents.
Sensing someone approaching, the clerk looked up and saw them. His gaze moved between the two before he asked.
“Here to accept the White family’s Iron Rank commission?” Owen nodded, and the clerk pulled a form from under the counter and pushed it toward them.
“Team acceptance requires registration. The captain needs to sign, and the member list must be clearly written.”
Owen lowered his head and began filling out the form while Bai Xuan stood silently to the side, watching.
Several names were written on the paper: Owen, Simon, Karl, Lily, Kieran, and finally, his own name was added at the end.
After taking the form and verifying everything was correct, the clerk stamped it. Then, he took a scroll and a palm-sized crystal from a drawer and pushed them toward them.
“Keep the commission scroll yourselves,” the clerk explained.
“This crystal is the key to the magic circle at the entrance of the Cross family’s mining area. It also serves as a token of passage. You’ll need it to get in, and it can also provide some resistance against the curse inside.”
He specifically cautioned, “There are only two such crystals. You must not lose them. Once they are lost, you won't be able to get out.”
Owen reached out and took the crystal, gripping it tightly in his hand.
He appeared calm on the surface, but Bai Xuan keenly noticed a flicker of something strange in his eyes the moment he took the crystal.
His expression held both the relief of a burden lifted and a hidden, long-awaited urgency.
The clerk pointed toward a corner of the hall and added, “The steward of the White family is sitting over there. He will take you to the mining area. If you have any questions, you can ask him now.”
Bai Xuan and Owen exchanged a look before turning and walking toward the corner.
A middle-aged man sat on a chair in the corner, dressed in a dark cotton robe with worn cuffs.
Seeing them approach, the man immediately stood up, his face breaking into a professional yet weary smile.
“Are you the two adventurers who accepted the commission?” His gaze swept over them, his tone gentle. “I am Jesse, the steward for the White family at the mining area.”
Owen was the first to respond. “I am Owen, captain of the Hammerfall team. This is Mr. Bai Xuan, our temporary partner.”
Jesse’s gaze lingered on Bai Xuan for a moment longer before gesturing toward the door. “Then shall we talk while we walk?”
The three walked out of the Adventurer’s Guild and headed toward the dungeon entrance.
By now, the morning market had become lively.
After walking a certain distance, Owen broke the silence first. “Steward Jesse, didn't people from the Church come to the mining area before? Why wasn't the problem resolved?”
Jesse’s expression instantly became somewhat subtle. He was silent for a moment before slowly saying, “They came. The priest personally took people down to investigate, but they said nothing after coming back up.”
“The next day, they made excuses about urgent matters in the Church and left in a hurry.”
“What was the reason it wasn't resolved?” Bai Xuan followed up at the right moment.
Jesse shook his head slightly. “It’s not convenient for me to tell you the specific reasons. In short, they couldn't reach an agreement.”
“The family had no choice but to post the commission at the Adventurer’s Guild while also searching everywhere for someone who could handle this. Fortunately, you accepted it in time.”
“What is the situation with the miner casualties?” Bai Xuan asked again.
Jesse’s tone grew heavy. “When the trouble first started, several miners couldn't be saved. Those who came later were discovered early and carried out in time, so their lives were spared.”
He frowned and continued, “But those contaminated by the curse, even if they survived, have been in a poor state.”
“There were also adventurers hired to guard the mine before; they stayed too long and were tainted by the curse as well. Although they were purified by the Church, some still have frequent nightmares even now.”
Bai Xuan looked at Owen inconspicuously. Owen didn't speak, but his lips tightened instinctively, and his expression grew more solemn.
“Is there anything unusual inside the polluted area?” Bai Xuan continued to press, refusing to miss any detail.
Jesse thought carefully for a moment and said, “Things that shouldn't be on the fourth floor have appeared—undead that only belong on the seventh floor.”
“For example, skeletons, wraiths, and the like. Their strength isn't that great, and ordinary adventurers can handle them. But the trouble is, we don't know exactly how many undead are inside, nor can we find the source of the curse.”
At this point, he stopped and looked at the two of them with a solemn gaze, his tone becoming serious.
“We have already sealed that polluted area with a magic circle to temporarily stop the curse from spreading.”
“You can enter by carrying that token, which will also provide some resistance to the curse. But you cannot stay inside for too long; you must come out at least once a day, or it will cause irreversible damage.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he pulled a folded piece of paper from his robe and handed it to Owen.
“This is a map of the mining area. Take it; the routes inside are clearly marked.” Owen reached out to take the map and carefully tucked it away.
The group soon reached the dungeon entrance. The massive rift was like a hideous scar stretching across the mountain, with a cold wind gushing out from within, making one shiver.
Jesse stopped here and looked at the two of them. “I’ll leave you here. You adventurers should be familiar with the path leading to the fourth floor.”
His gaze fell on Owen. “I’ll go back and wait for your news. If you need anything, you can find me at the White family’s station anytime.”
With that, he nodded and hurriedly departed.
Not long after Jesse left, footsteps were heard from ahead, and four figures rounded the corner.
Leading the way was the taciturn big man, Simon, carrying a shield nearly as wide as himself at the front.
Behind him followed Karl, carrying a battleaxe and muttering something under his breath.
Lily and Kieran walked side-by-side in the middle.
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