Mechanical Alchemist

Old Lington, South Norton Street, Camellia Lady Tavern.

After the entertainment venues on Green Street were destroyed in the gang war between the Cross Society and the Steam Party, Norton Street became the liveliest entertainment district in the outer city.

This was the territory of the Cross Society, once tightly supervised by Qian Tiao Kan, and it was still controlled by the people of the Cross Society.

However, many of the original Cross Society executives had chosen to break out of the Black Tower with the Mirror Organization, so now the Cross Society was mostly new faces.

In the corner of the tavern, Su Lun and Mr. Jing were sitting in a booth, drinking.

"Looking at the current situation, those mages from the Storm Manor were evidently sent by the 'Unicorn Commerce Guild.' A vice-chairman by the name of Muriel Sanchez bribed a port inspector. Besides, it's rare for local officials to dare to obstruct such a large commerce guild. There is also no direct evidence to indicate that other people in the Governor's Office were involved."

"It's normal not to have evidence. Since the person who leaked the joint fleet's surprise attack plan has prevented the Ruying Army Intelligence Department from finding anything, that 'high-ranking official' must be extremely meticulous. Even if we dig deeper into this, at best, we will only deal with some insignificant minor characters."

"Once the Cross Society's intelligence arrives and we confirm Muriel's whereabouts, we'll know who's behind it all after we kill her. This time we must completely resolve the situation on the Old Lington side."

"Hmm."

"..."

While Su Lun and Mr. Jing wanted to solve the problem completely, they were uncertain how many people were involved in the infiltration of Old Lington by mages from the Divine Plane.

However, with the ability of the Reaper, things were much easier, bypassing various interrogation processes. Even if the intelligence was as tangled as a knotted mess, as long as Su Lun found a starting thread, he could keep clearing it up and eventually find that last hidden individual.

Since the Mirror Organization had left some intelligence personnel in Old Lington, there was no need for them to seek out people personally.

The music in the tavern was slow and soothing, with scantily clad ladies on stage, swaying their graceful figures.

The two men were drinking and chatting intermittently, also enjoying such rare leisure time.

At that moment, Su Lun suddenly had an idea and said, "Senior Sister, I have a thought."

Mr. Jing, who was sitting opposite him, glanced at him and put down the wine glass at her lips, asking in return, "Oh?"

His senior sister exuded classical elegance in everything she did, sipping her drink in small, delicate sips. Although he was very familiar with her presence, Su Lun still found it pleasing to watch, and he said, "You were attacked before, and under normal circumstances, it would take several years for your injuries to heal. Do you think if the enemy learns of your whereabouts again, they will try to ambush you one more time?"

Upon hearing this, Mr. Jing immediately understood his meaning, raising her eyebrows and asking, "You want to set up a counterplot?"

"Yes."

Su Lun nodded and added, "The forces from the Divine Plane have an important source of intelligence within the United Empire's upper echelon. Last time they failed to kill you, senior sister, and that person must also be worried about being exposed. No one can bear the revenge of a ninth-tier. So once the information about your location leaks, despite the risks, they will surely choose to betray the information again to eliminate the hidden danger. At present, there's only one ninth-tier descending from the Divine Plane, but even if there were one or two more, our Dawn Group can handle it now. By then, we might not only be able to dig out the traitor lurking within the empire but even strike a heavy blow to the Divine Plane's high-tier combat power..."

This plan was nearly an open strategy.

Once Mr. Jing's coordinates were leaked, whether it was the enemy or the mole, they would have to consider whether it was a deliberate leak.

But they had to take the bait.

After all, no matter how you looked at it, Mr. Jing stood no chance of winning.

This was a difference in information.

The power of his senior sister now was not the same as before.

Not only will the injuries recover quickly, but she has also integrated the blood essence of a demigod. Once she has assimilated her armor, her combat power will be worlds apart from before.

That was a difference in information.

The enemy would think she was still in a wounded state, and even if she had recovered, they could never imagine her power would surge so much.

Moreover, now that Su Lun and the others were back, Mr. Jing was no longer fighting alone.

"..."

Mr. Jing, thinking over these words, showed a contemplative expression.

She had also considered this issue, but the uncertainties in a fight above the ninth tier were too great, and the casualties uncontrollable.

But she also knew that opportunities in war are fleeting, and it was a risk that had to be taken. If the plan succeeds, it will be of great significance to the forthcoming all-out war.

Additionally, the delay in the enemy's intelligence would slowly disappear over time, so the sooner they acted, the better.

After pondering for a moment, Mr. Jing looked at Su Lun and asked, "How do you want to do it?"

Having already formulated a plan in his mind, Su Lun stated the most direct approach, "Make it high profile, make that mole want to get rid of us even more."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Jing's eyes glimmered with understanding, and she nodded slightly, "Alright."

...

The tavern in the outer city mostly attracted Scavengers, and it was a lively time of the evening, bustling with people coming and going.

Su Lun and Mr. Jing, sitting in the corner drinking and chatting, also casually picked up a lot of intelligence about Old Lington.

Most of it was complaints about a series of policies from the new governor, seen as a regression in history, with the intention to continue in that direction.

Before long, the tavern was suddenly entered by several young people in dark biker leather jackets. Taking a closer look, they had Iron Cross Society badges pinned to their chests.

These were members of the Cross Society from the outer city.

Su Lun and Mr. Jing, wanting intelligence on the Unicorn Commerce Guild, naturally would not retrieve it themselves and so had employed a familiar channel for the task.

The group scanned the tavern and made a beeline for Su Lun and Mr. Jing's table.

The leader, a brown-haired youth, brought out a piece of intelligence, laid it directly on the table, and said to Su Lun, "Here's the information you asked the Cross Society for. Personnel list for the 'Unicorn Commerce Guild,' all the current stronghold locations in Old Lington, and the movement trajectory of the vice-chairman 'Muriel Sanchez.'"

Su Lun accepted the intelligence report and, after a cursory glance, handed over a bag of Gold Coins.

Having spent time in the underworld, he knew that such confidential intelligence transactions were customarily conducted with untraceable metal currency.

The young courier opened the bag to check the amount and his expression altered slightly.

He hadn't expected someone to actually pay such a high price for information.

Once the transaction was complete, the youth gave Su Lun a look, feeling a vague sense of familiarity, and offered a word of caution, "Sir, I have no interest in prying into your privacy, but if you'll forgive my boldness, there are fifth-tier guardians within that company."

Su Lun listened and, without saying much, simply nodded with a smile.

The three youths didn't say much either and turned to leave the tavern.

After they were gone, Mr. Jing asked, "Do you know them?"

A trace of reminiscence appeared in Su Lun's eyes as he replied, "I saved them once during my time at the Cross Society. It's been a few years, and now they've all become executives of the same."

Although there had been changes over the past few years, he recognized them, having met them once before.

If Su Lun remembered correctly, their names were Beta, Brown, and Nancy.

Back when Duke Raphael was conducting experiments in Old Lington, traffickers were abducting subjects from the outer city, and Danny's three friends were captured—those very three youths before him.

Su Lun had rescued them at the Black Baron's establishment, which was also the first time he encountered Number Nineteen.

After making a brief mention, he narrowed his eyes slightly, "That Beta has reached the second tier, not bad at all."

Listening to this, Mr. Jing said, "However, it seems they've been marked by someone."

Su Lun had noticed as well and said indifferently, "Hmm. It's probably the trouble brought on by this batch of intelligence."

...

The three youths stepped out of the tavern, cautiously surveying their surroundings before darting into the alley behind the establishment.

This was Cross Society's territory, and they knew every nook and cranny here.

Only when they reached a deserted back alley did the trio breath a sigh of relief.

"My God, to think someone would actually spend so much money on some information, it's like a dream."

"Yeah. I thought something unexpected would happen, so I even brought my piece."

"The commission came through a trustworthy channel, only known to old associates of the gang. Strange, we at the Cross Society have no intelligence on this at all; it must be someone from outside."

"Who cares? That 'Unicorn Company' isn't exactly saintly. I've done my research; those guys are the largest slave traders around, and many people in Old Lington were trafficked in by them in the past. Now that the empire has outlawed the slave trade, these scoundrels have set their sights on Old Lington. Recently, there have been many reports of disappearances directly linked to that company..."

"..."

The three continued their conversation as they walked.

At that moment, the young girl turned to the leading boy and asked, "Beta, I noticed something odd in your expression earlier, did you discover something?"

After pondering for a while, Beta replied, "Nothing much, Nancy. It's just... I felt that the commissioner looked familiar, like I've seen him somewhere before."

At this, another youth chimed in, "Ah... you might be mistaken, how could we know someone from the outside?"

The brown-haired boy tried not to overthink it, saying, "Probably so."

No wonder they hadn't recognized him; back then, Su Lun had spent his time at the Cross Society disguised with a shaved head and sooty makeup—it was normal not to recognize him in his current state.

Although the trio had been cautious enough, at that moment, a figure suddenly emerged from the shadows.

Beta's face changed drastically, immediately recognizing the presence of a high-ranking assassin in stealth mode, he promptly warned, "Careful, there's an enemy!"

The three quickly realized that someone might have followed them from the Unicorn Company, and they immediately drew their firearms, aiming at the vague shadow.

However, to their surprise, there wasn't just one person; there were two.

And they were in a strange position.

One was grasping the neck of someone dressed as an assassin.

Beta immediately recognized him; wasn't that the commissioner from the tavern?

How could he be here?

Yet, at the same time, a chill ran down Beta's spine—the assassin, who had managed to silently follow them, must be at least a third-tier professional.

But how easily that commissioner had grasped the assassin's neck; how strong was he?

However, before they could ponder further, they heard a "snap" as the assassin's neck was twisted and he died instantly.

The scene left the trio stunned.

He was killed just like that?

They had no clue what had just happened.

...

At Su Lun's current realm, sensing whether someone had ill intent was as simple as detecting their mental fluctuations.

Just now, he confirmed that the person was associated with the Unicorn Company and didn't waste time killing him to collect his soul.

Instantly, information far more accurate than the report he had purchased flooded into his mind.

"So it was there."

Su Lun had obtained the information he wanted, which made things a lot more convenient for him.

In a flash, he glanced at the three youths who had removed their armor and seemed at a loss.

Even without deliberately exuding an oppressive aura, the slight leakage of the murderous intent from Su Lun's years of killing was enough to make the three professionals, at best second-tier, shudder with fear.

Seeing the three so frightened, the invisible momentum relaxed abruptly.

Beta was the first to recover and, fearing that their client had misunderstood, quickly explained, "Sir, this has nothing to do with us."

Su Lun looked at the young man who, despite the pressure, had mustered the courage to speak up and cracked a slight smile.

This courage was commendable, a promising young talent.

He interrupted Beta, who wanted to explain further, saying, "I know. The trouble that came after the intelligence you gathered for me. This assassin was from the Unicorn Whale Guild."

He had allayed their worries, yet he didn't seem intent on giving further explanations.

With the assassin dead, if they didn't deal with it quickly, the guild would soon get the message.

As Su Lun was about to leave, he shot a glance at the ordinary pistol that Beta had attached to his waist, recognizing it as the one he had given to the trio for self-defense.

That pistol was nearly useless against second-tier professionals now; he hadn't expected they would still keep it.

A thought struck Su Lun, and he casually produced a storage ring, flicked it with his finger, and added, "A parting gift for you. Train hard, and perhaps you'll have the chance to go out and see the world someday."

Before his words even finished, without waiting for a response, he had vanished from the place.

Leaving Beta, Brown, and Nancy standing there, dumbstruck.

They had thought they were in grave trouble, feeling tremendous unease just a moment ago. They hadn't expected that this mysterious client wouldn't make things difficult for them, not even offering further explanation.

When Beta took another look at the storage ring in his hand, he was surprised to see that, instead of creating trouble, their client had given them a gift?

However, when he saw the important materials and training secrets for advancing to the third and fourth tiers inside the storage ring, his face went pale.

Brown and Nancy, seeing his reaction, feared something bad had happened and quickly asked, "Beta, what's wrong?"

With a complex expression, Beta looked in the direction where Su Lun had disappeared and said, "See for yourself."

Brown and Nancy examined the storage ring and were similarly shocked and frightened.

The contents of the storage ring were too precious for them, perhaps the most valuable resources they could ever hope to attain in their lifetimes.

As they pondered over the farewell gift, Beta's mind raced, and suddenly, he had a realization.

Could it be that he had returned?

Beta's face lit up with joy!

Yes!

It was their lifesaver, Mister Su Lun!

But Beta didn't say more; he also immediately realized the gravity of the situation.

The Unicorn Whale Guild had lost a high-ranking assassin, and they would not let it go without retaliation.

Yet, there was nothing they could do to help, not even the Guild as a whole could make a difference.

He quickly turned to his companions and said, "We must keep today's events strictly confidential. Notify the intelligence department, everyone should hide outside the city for a while."

Only by doing this could they avoid implicating the Guild and that person.

Brown and Nancy understood and nodded, "Mm."

Agreeing, the three of them quickly vanished into the alley.

...

Su Lun's small gift to the trio wasn't intended for any repayment, but was given partly out of respect for an old acquaintance, and largely as a spontaneous act of kindness.

As Sir Isaac had put it, when you become powerful enough to stand at the pinnacle of the planar pyramid, you start to consider matters of civilization and heritage.

Those low-tier materials were now of little importance to Su Lun, but to some promising talents, they could be life-changing opportunities.

It was just a thought, and he didn't dwell on it.

Looking again, Su Lun had arrived in front of a high-end club in the Kunsen District of South Norton Street.

From the gathered intelligence, the vice-chairman of the Unicorn Whale Guild, Muriel Sanchez, was there.

It had been several days since Su Lun and Mr. Jing had eliminated those mages at the Storm Estate, so the Unicorn Whale Guild must have become aware.

However, due to the close proximity of Dawn Relic to the abyssal planar gateway and its inherent high risks, they likely weren't certain what had caused the magic circle's annihilation.

While their people sent to confirm the news were still en route, Su Lun and Mr. Jing had already appeared at the entrance of the "Crown Bathing Club."

Old Lington, just like a few years before, had more lavish entertainment spots in the outer city than the inner city. The wealthy preferred to play in the outer city.

Su Lun sensed the souls in the club and found the strongest was only a sixth-tier, then he turned to Mr. Jing at his side and said, "Sister, you rest, I'll handle this quickly."

Mr. Jing nodded, "Mm."

As he spoke, Su Lun suddenly took out a gold-patterned cloak and draped it over himself, an aura of mystery enveloping him instantly.

The spatial fluctuation flickered, and he had vanished on the spot.

...

At the same time, in a luxurious bathhouse at the club Su Lun had just visited, the portly Muriel and a few of his subordinates were blissfully unaware of the impending danger, basking in the service of a group of seductive bunny girls.

"Tsk tsk, the dames from Old Lington are truly delectable, with skin so white and silky. They're much tastier than those weathered and sun-beaten female slaves from the outside. What a pity that those dim-witted parliamentarians have abolished the slave trade; such wondrous goods can no longer be sold."

"Indeed. Next time a merchant ship arrives, we can only smuggle a batch to Lington. Those noblemen would surely fancy such merchandise."

"Damn this new policy, damn the United Empire, it's made us lose a fortune! Oh, how I wish Lurin could return to its former days."

"Exactly. As for that damned war, let whoever cares deal with it. Apart from the war profiteers raking in money, what good has it done us?"

"..."

The men continued to lament the disruptions to their wealth caused by the ""Slavery Abolition Act"" and fantasized about a return to the old lordly and noble system of Lurin.

Just then, an unexpected change occurred!

A spatial fluctuation flashed suddenly in the room, and a figure clad in a gold-patterned cloak appeared.

Vice President Muriel Sanchez's face turned pale the instant he saw the cloak.

He had personally orchestrated the movement of mages into Old Lington, and upon seeing someone from the Dawn Organization arrive, he knew immediately that he had been exposed.

But before he could even call out for his guards, he felt a warm sensation at his throat, and could no longer speak.

Su Lun looked at the shocked faces before him, confirming their identities with the information in his mind and, therefore, wasting no time with words.

As soon as he entered the room, a blood line appeared on the necks of the men, and their souls had already left their bodies.

Blood gushed out, instantly staining the bathtub red, as the several naked bunny girls by the side were petrified in horror.

Su Lun paid no attention to the women, but harvested the souls of the men instead.

As he expected, these men knew not much, and the task of transporting mages to Old Lington had been arranged by the headquarters of the Unicorn Whaler Commerce Guild.

Yet, Su Lun had learned of some key figures behind the task.

He also uncovered some covert intelligence about those "old faction" nobles who were still active in Lington.

Slave traders always possess a keen intuition and hold secrets unknown to outsiders.

After considering the information for a few moments, Su Lun had somewhat digested it and whispered to himself with a stern expression, "Aside from a few ancient noble families, it turns out that the central ringleader of the old faction is none other than that ninth-ranked Master Merlin. It seems this fellow is highly suspicious..."

There weren't many high-ranking individuals with access to such confidential intelligence, and both Su Lun and Mr. Jing had their suspicions before.

But after all, for Master Merlin to become the empire's first-ranked officiant, aside from his ninth-rank prowess, he must have made significant contributions.

Without concrete evidence, it would be reckless to make assumptions.

Otherwise, it might play right into the enemy's hand with their stratagem of discord.

However, looking at the current intelligence, it is more likely that Master Merlin... or his family is related to the people from the Divine Realm plane.

With a thought flashing through his mind, Su Lun did not linger in the house. He once again teleported to a luxurious skyscraper more than ten kilometers away in the inner city's District 3, following Vice President Muriel's memory.

Here, several fifth- and sixth-rank mages from the Divine Realm plane were in meditation.

They were stationed in the city as communicators and for emergency response.

Watching Su Lun arrive, these individuals reacted much faster, immediately raising magical shields around them, and instantly casting spells at Su Lun.

Seeing this, Su Lun's eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't unleash his aura or use any cursed items; he just charged at the mages with his robust body, employing a brute's fighting style.

The mages, facing a formidable foe, naturally fought back desperately.

But they were no match for Su Lun, who after several close-quarters punches, sent them flying out of the building.

With a "crash," the outer glass wall shattered, and the mages continued the intense battle while floating in mid-air.

The commotion of the fight was enormous, immediately drawing the attention of a large number of residents in the inner city.

In no time, various city defense forces, police stations, and the governor's guards mobilized, all converging towards the area of the fight.

The crowd of onlookers grew.

...

Su Lun could have killed these mages silently, but he chose not to.

He intentionally wanted to cause a big scene.

It was to let the traitor behind the scenes know someone was causing them trouble and have the Dawn Group take the blame for it, thereby strengthening their resolve to assassinate Mr. Jing, the leader of the Mirror Organization.

It was also to let everyone in Old Lington know that these were mages from the Divine Realm!

Someone had betrayed their side and let them in!

And Su Lun was waiting.

Waiting for the governor's men to arrive, to see what their reaction would be as they watched him kill these mages!

PS. My symptoms are now down to just a cough and a slight headache; everything is getting better, thank you all~