Lu Yuan emerged from Allen Kraus’s office and pulled the door shut behind him.
The corridor was quiet. The oil lamps on the walls had been dimmed, leaving only enough light to see the floor. The corridors of the branch were always like this at night; the sound of footsteps on the tiles traveled further than during the day.
He walked down the hallway toward his room, his mind still processing what Kraus had just said.
Gubo Town. Recruiting two prospects.
This would be his first time leading a recruitment mission independently as a captain.
To be honest, Lu Yuan didn't harbor any resentment toward the task, but he couldn't say he was entirely confident either. How long had it been since he joined the Nightwatchers? He was still a newcomer who had only just reached the threshold of rank 2, and now he was expected to judge whether others were qualified to join.
Of course, that was only considering the factor of time.
Kraus’s judgment was always spot-on; if he had entrusted this matter to Lu Yuan, he must have his reasons.
When he passed the junction leading toward C-District, Lu Yuan paused.
The light at the end of the C-District corridor was still on, in the direction of Room 7.
He thought of Kail.
After the tree man incident, Kail’s shoulder contamination had been suppressed by Lu Yuan using the seed’s aura combined with a temporary flame-type potion.
For the sake of Kail’s injury, Bolen—that old man who valued his life so dearly—had gone straight with him to deal with the Forest Seed.
Now that a few days had passed, Kail should have recovered somewhat. Although holy water and the seed could clear out the parasitic structures, the parts of the tissue that had been corroded had to grow back on their own.
Just then, sounds came from around the corner of the foyer.
There were two sets of footsteps.
One was the tapping of a cane; the other was lighter, with a steady but slightly slow pace, featuring a very subtle pause whenever a foot landed.
Bolen turned the corner first.
The old man’s complexion looked better than it had two days ago; at least his face was no longer a sickly pale blue. However, he still walked very slowly. The inscriptions on his cane were still somewhat dim, though the gaps where they had been corroded were now repaired.
Kail followed half a step behind him.
The youth wore a loose cotton shirt with a low collar, revealing a large patch of gauze above his left collarbone.
The gauze covered the area from the front of his shoulder to his collarbone, held in place by white medical tape.
Some color was visible beneath the gauze; the dark green had faded, replaced by the pinkish hue of new skin as it healed.
His face was still a bit pale, but his eyes were clear.
“Lu Yuan?” Bolen stopped and tilted his head slightly. His eyes lit up when he saw who it was. “You’re all healed up? It looks like you’ve recovered well.”
“Yeah.”
Lu Yuan smiled, indicating he was fine.
Bolen looked Lu Yuan up and down, clicking his tongue in amazement.
“You’re truly something else. I can’t believe you survived that. When I saw you get cut off, I’d already decided what suit to wear to your funeral.”
“I have the Timekeeper; my survival capabilities exceed most people’s.”
Lu Yuan didn't shy away from the topic, raising an eyebrow as he spoke.
“Though that move of yours was terrifying enough. If it had been a bit stronger, I’m afraid ‘Nine’ would have died right then and there.”
Bolen shook his head.
“You overestimate me. I was also borrowing the power of the Bronze City. I suppose that’s one of the benefits of my pathway; as long as I’m on the ground in this city, I’m safe enough.”
“Unfortunately, we were underground then, and quite deep at that...”
Lu Yuan and Bolen shared a smile, not pursuing the topic further. After all, it was enough just to be alive.
“Did you go to see Kraus?”
“Yeah.” Lu Yuan nodded, shifting his gaze from Bolen to Kail. “How are you doing?”
This was directed at Kail.
Kail bowed slightly. “Much better, Captain.” His voice wasn't loud, but his spirit seemed much improved. “Captain Margaret changed my bandages again today. She said I can have them off in another four or five days.”
Lu Yuan looked at his shoulder; the gauze was wrapped neatly, typical of Margaret’s handiwork.
“Does it hurt?”
“It’s fine during the day, but I tend to pull at it when I turn over at night,” Kail said frankly, neither acting tough nor exaggerating.
Bolen huffed from the side. “I told you not to sleep on your side, but you insist.”
“Master, my back gets sweaty when I sleep on my back...”
“So let it get sweaty. It’s better than waking up in pain in the middle of the night.”
Bolen scolded him irritably, but he tapped his cane on the floor and didn't say more.
Kail was used to his master’s scolding; his lips twitched slightly, but he didn't talk back.
Lu Yuan asked, “Is the inscription tablet still with you?”
He remembered that when Kail had passed out, he had been clutching that inscription direction tablet.
Kail instinctively pressed his hand against his chest. “It is.”
“Recover well then,” Lu Yuan nodded. “Don't be in a hurry to make a choice. Wait until your body is fully recovered.”
Kail acknowledged this. Bolen didn't interject, but he glanced at Lu Yuan, likely not expecting him to still be thinking about the tablet.
“And you?” Lu Yuan turned to Bolen. “How is your recovery?”
“These old bones can still hold up.” Bolen shifted his cane to his other hand. “My inscriptions haven't recovered yet. I’ll probably need to rest for a few more days.”
His tone was flatter than usual.
Lu Yuan had gradually noticed a pattern: Bolen spoke less when he wasn't feeling well.
After the battle in the underground hall, both of them knew exactly what state the other was in.
The things they encountered underground hadn't just taken a physical toll. Lu Yuan’s Sanity limit had been slashed by fifty points, and there were still no signs of it recovering.
Bolen’s inscriptions were drained to the point of exhaustion, and he had lost much of his confidence. Of course, Lu Yuan didn't know exactly what else had been consumed.
“Did Kraus say anything about your situation?” Lu Yuan suddenly remembered and asked.
Bolen’s expression didn't change, but he tapped his cane an extra time.
“He did.” He paused. “Headquarters is pressing us. It’ll be in a few days.”
Kail’s expression shifted slightly as he looked down at the floor, remaining silent.
“That’s for the best. Finish your selection and leave as soon as possible. It really isn't safe here.” Lu Yuan changed the subject. “I’m heading out tomorrow to deliver some supplies for the branch to a town in the south. I’ll be back in about three to five days.”
Bolen looked at him.
“In your state?”
“It’s enough. My Sanity recovers very quickly, and my body has healed a lot as well.”
Bolen scanned him from head to toe, his gaze lingering on his face for two seconds. The old inscription master had a very sharp eye.
People who dealt with inscriptions year-round were extremely sensitive to the state of "appearing normal on the surface while having defects underneath." He could likely tell that Lu Yuan’s current condition was mediocre at best.
But he didn't say it outright.
“Take care of yourself,” Bolen said finally. “Your Sanity limit hasn't recovered yet. Don't push it.”
“I know.”
Kail bowed again. “Take care on the road, Captain.”
Lu Yuan nodded.
Bolen turned around, his cane tapping as he walked toward the other end of the corridor.
Kail followed half a step behind. After a few steps, Bolen suddenly stopped and looked back.
“Come back soon.”
Then he continued on his way.
The sound of the cane and the footsteps slowly faded—one heavy and one light, one in front and one behind—until they finally disappeared around the corner.
Lu Yuan stood there for a moment before turning to go to Margaret’s office to ask for some resources.
He was about to go on a long trip, after all. How could he ensure his safety without carrying some weapons?
With that in mind, Lu Yuan arrived at the largest room in logistics. As expected, Margaret wasn't asleep yet.
The room was filled with a large number of unmade potions and crates of ammunition.
Margaret was currently sitting at her workbench, crafting something by the light of a kerosene lamp.
“Hmm? Lu Yuan, are you better?” Margaret glanced up at him, her hands continuing their slow, steady grinding of herbs.
“Are you still making medicine?” Lu Yuan looked at the transcendent and was silent for a moment, noting the heavy dark circles under her eyes.
“Just a little more to go. Do you want to help?”
Margaret looked up at Lu Yuan and blinked.
“I have a mission tomorrow.”
Lu Yuan decisively refused.
“Fine then...” Margaret continued her work with a lack of interest.
“So what are you here for?”
“I’m out of bullets, and I’m about to head out on a mission. I came to restock.”
Margaret put on a miserable expression.
“So you’re here to collect a debt.”
Margaret set down the medicinal powder and opened a small crate nearby.
“Pick what you want; these are all yours. By the way, the rank of your mission isn't high, and the danger level there is quite low for you.”
“I suggest just taking whatever.”
Margaret went back to mixing potions.
Lu Yuan didn't stand on ceremony, immediately walking over to the crate and looking inside.
He saw rows of silver-plated bullets and copper-cased incendiary rounds, as well as a type of bullet he hadn't seen before.
Beside them lay a canister of something resembling mithril and some common potions.
But they were much smaller.
【Target Detected: Pure Silver Bullets】
【Do you know what pure power is? You’re looking at it.】
【Alchemical knowledge detected... Analysis failed.】
Lu Yuan looked at the small canister of silver-green shimmering substance and picked it up to ask.
“What’s this?”
Margaret glanced over.
“Oh, that’s the latest mithril variant. It’s a little gadget the Alchemy Department just produced. They say its lethality is close to mithril, but its stability is much higher. You have a quota for one bottle; you can take it and try it out.”
Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow and decisively packed it away. He also took a small box of copper-cased incendiary rounds and Pure Silver Bullets, totaling twenty rounds.
He also pocketed several bottles of Sanity and healing potions.
“I’ll be going then.”
“Off you go.”
Lu Yuan put his things away and returned to his room.
He pushed the door open to find one of the windows still half-open.
The night breeze blew in, carrying the distinct scent of the Bronze City—a mixture of metal and coal smoke.
The light from the electric lamps filtered through the window panes, casting a blue-white glow onto the edge of the bed.
‘Flame’ rested on the bedside table, its copper surface glinting coldly.
Lu Yuan put the gun away, changed his clothes, and lay down on the bed.
His physical exhaustion drowned out all other thoughts.
He closed his eyes and soon fell asleep.
Rate on N.U.
