Chapter 86: Strike First
Items like these were typically kept under lock and key by the Grand Guilds or powerful families, rarely ever shown to outsiders.
Lance had heard Flora mention that at the Jade Crucible in Veridia, a place hailed as an Alchemy Sanctuary, a Practical Level wonder called the [Philosopher’s Stone] was enshrined.
It was a semi-transparent, irregularly shaped crystal.
If it touched any liquid—provided the volume wasn’t more than a standard cup—that liquid would instantly solidify into thumb-sized crystalline beads.
This conversion process not only perfectly preserved the potion’s original effects, but also drastically extended its shelf life, even making it as convenient to carry as a pocketful of candy.
During the heat of battle, you could just pop one in your mouth for an instant effect.
It became the most celebrated specialty of a certain school of alchemy in Veridia.
As for that final three percent.
Those were the forbidden items that truly deserved the name ’Fire Stealing’.
They possessed effects powerful enough to warp the very rules of reality, but for that very reason, they often came with a divine curse.
The user had to pay some twisted and tragic price to complete the cruel, equivalent exchange.
However, Lance had never heard any concrete information about wonders of this caliber.
’Perhaps it’s because of their blasphemous nature that the major Divine Halls joined forces to stamp them out at the first sign of their emergence.’
Lance reined in his wandering thoughts and refocused his attention on Jeff’s panel.
Compared to the wonder of questionable existence, the second secret was what truly made him tense up.
[Jeff’s Secret #2: Just yesterday, in the northeastern district of town where Adventurers gather, a lookout seems to have spotted a Half-Elf. After extensive inquiries, it’s been confirmed that she’s an intern from White River City’s Violet Academy.]
[His boss, Buck, has just taken up the Thief Profession and is in dire need of funds for upgraded gear. The gang has a history of successfully kidnapping and selling Sub-human Species, and everyone enjoyed the profits. This time, the boss plans to repeat his old trick. As long as they abduct her and hand her over to the underground organization, Dark River, the transaction can be completed without a soul knowing.]
[That very evening, Jeff pinpointed the Half-Elf’s location. Even though she disguised her appearance, the habits unique to nobility were just too obvious. However, it seems the Half-Elf has a very vigilant Adventurer partner with her.]
[Yesterday, the boss ordered him to start by gathering intel on the partner today, with the plan to make their move in one week. He was supposed to tail the target today, but unfortunately, he was outmatched and got a beating. Now, he’s filled with venomous resentment.]
’So the reason this pack of hyenas targeted me was because of Cecilia after all.’
"What a pain..."
Lance rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
’According to the commission, this sort of thing falls within the scope of an Adventurer’s work. Unless the intern is at risk of death, or the mentor decides to terminate the internship, it has to be resolved by the intern and their mentor together.’
’And the way a life-threatening risk was detected wasn’t through a report from the mentor, but some kind of automatic trigger. I’d guess it’s a specific item or a High Ring Spell.’
’So in the end, the decision falls to me.’
He could tell Cecilia was taking this internship very seriously.
’After all, she’s my friend now. I won’t choose to terminate the internship unless I have absolutely no other choice.’
That left only one option.
He would have to see if he could find a good way to resolve this.
Although Gray Rock Town was a gathering spot for Adventurers, its resource nodes and Underground City levels weren’t high. As a result, the place was mostly filled with low-Level Adventurers.
This meant that gangs like the Ghoul Dogs, who operated in the gray areas, all shared a common trait.
Ignorance breeds fearlessness.
These people were poorly educated. Their minds were filled with nothing but Gold Coins and the law of the jungle.
They had no idea what kinds of bizarre and unpredictable methods Casters had at their disposal, much less what a behemoth like Violet Academy represented.
In their narrow worldview, as long as they killed someone and buried them in the woods, or kidnapped them and sold them to an underground network like Dark River, the matter would be completely finished.
What’s worse, they had succeeded before.
This blind confidence, born from survivorship bias, sent them sprinting ever faster down the path of self-destruction.
That was what made this so tricky for Lance.
However...
Lance reviewed the intelligence again and found the one silver lining.
The gang’s leader, Buck, had only just become a Professional.
Judging by the small gang’s size, he deduced that aside from Buck, everyone else in the organization had probably yet to cross the threshold into a Profession.
’They’re not making their move for another week?’
Lance calculated in his head.
’For me, one week is enough time to get a lot done.’
’As long as I keep up my current grinding efficiency, in one week, I can not only obtain at least two new Skill Specializations, but I might even be able to extract the Racial Talent from the Stone Shell River Crabs.’
’Plus, I now have the [Illustrated Guide]—a Divine Artifact that puts the enemy in the open while I remain in the shadows.’
Lance looked at the organizational chart displayed on his retina, which resembled a collection of wanted posters.
It not only helpfully included a portrait of every member, but also clearly labeled each of their names.
A bold plan took shape in his mind.
’Since they plan to make their move in a week, why shouldn’t I strike first?’
’In the meantime, I can use my advantage—hiding in the shadows—to peel them away like an onion, eliminating their lookouts and thugs scattered across town one by one.’
’Even if Buck is a Professional, if I kill everyone under him, he’ll become a general with no army.’
’For him to single-handedly complete the entire complex process of kidnapping, transport, and meeting with Dark River would be a pipe dream.’
’As long as I avoid a direct confrontation with the one Professional, the rest of the small fry are just experience packs waiting to be collected.’
’But before that...’
’I also need to find out what enhancements one gets after becoming a Professional, and specifically, what the enhancement path for the Thief Profession is.’
’Know your enemy, know yourself. Only then can you win every battle.’
’Only by accurately gauging the difference in our combat strength can I truly seize the strategic initiative.’
Lance quickly scanned through the remaining few secrets on Jeff’s panel.
He gritted his teeth as he read. This group had committed every evil imaginable, and their deaths would be no great loss. The entire organization was involved.
’Wiping out an organization like this would be a public service.’
He opened the complex web of relationships.
’Since these black-market hyenas have made plenty of enemies, their list of rivals could probably fill the sewers of Gray Rock Town.’
’If I’m just a little clever when I make my move, I can leave some misleading clues at the scenes...’
’For example, wounds from a specific weapon, or the tell-tale markings of a rival gang.’
’I can frame the organizations that already have a grudge against the Ghoul Dogs.’
’When the dogs start fighting each other, who’s going to notice a rookie Adventurer who just registered?’
The plan in his mind was becoming more refined.
’Even Buck, the only Professional...’
’If I play my cards right, I might be able to make it so that the general-without-an-army dies a frustrated death in some dark corner before he even knows what’s happening, all his strength useless.’
With his thoughts organized, Lance closed the panel and strode out of the dim alley.
He didn’t go straight home. Instead, he headed back to the armorer’s shop he’d been to earlier.