Chapter 84: Infiltration
"Oh? So soon?"
Professor Weasley seemed a little surprised. He opened the potion box, picked up a bottle of cleverness potion, and gave it a shake. After inspecting the sediment, he uncapped it and took a sniff.
"The quality is excellent. This doesn't look like the work of a novice, Sternwell. Have you reached the Advanced level in alchemy?" Professor Weasley asked.
Zhou Ning considered this and saw no reason to hide it. In fact, if he weren't afraid that revealing such rapid promotions would be too outrageous and shock the professor, he would have told him he'd already reached the Expert level.
He nodded readily. "Yes, sir. I just reached the Advanced level two days ago."
"Very good. It seems I underestimated your talent." A rare smile touched Professor Weasley's serious face. After counting the potions, he reluctantly pulled a roll of banknotes from his coat pocket, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Zhou Ning. "I don't have enough money with me. I only have 222 Victar and 3 Roshen. Will that be alright?"
What the hell? Zhou Ning thought. Is this guy for real? At fifteen Roshen a bottle, 150 bottles comes to 225 Victar. He's shorting me twenty-seven Roshen!
Still, Zhou Ning decided not to argue. He knew Professor Weasley was a stingy man who pinched every coin. He forced a smile. "That's fine."
Professor Weasley chuckled. "I wasn't mistaken about you. You are indeed a gentleman. By the way, I'd like to know, what are your beliefs?"
Zhou Ning's mind raced. He searched his memory; his original character's belief was the Sun Goddess. In this world, faith was a serious matter, so there was no reason to be inconsistent.
"I believe in the Sun Goddess," Zhou Ning said.
Professor Weasley nodded slightly. "Then I suggest you go to the Alchemist Association as soon as possible to obtain your certification. Accept as many commissions as you can. You must begin preparing to become a master alchemist in advance."
"Okay." Zhou Ning nodded. He understood the professor's meaning perfectly; in fact, it was already his plan. The Alchemist Guild in "Apocalypse" was an ancient society founded by High Priestess Louisa, one of the Four Heroes. Its influence spread throughout the world of Apocalypse. The guild headquarters was in Saint Ronald, the capital of Luince, with a branch here in Darkland. It could provide various services to alchemists, including purchasing herbs and finished products, as well as providing rare formulas.
Of course, the prerequisite for these services was a sufficient reputation. Fortunately for Zhou Ning, this would be easy. He had a good relationship with the West family, who controlled the Darkland Alchemist Association.
After saying goodbye to Professor Weasley, Zhou Ning returned to his apartment, changed into a white shirt and black vest, and threw on a thin windbreaker before leaving Wick University.
He went to a nearby car rental company. Much like the ones from his past life, this company not only rented carriages but also sedan chairs. The daily rates were exorbitant.
Speaking of carriage rentals, Zhou Ning remembered a story he'd heard in the game, though he couldn't vouch for its authenticity. Twenty years ago, an alchemist named Charles Hobson invented a carriage meter. Powered by an alchemical array, it precisely calculated a passenger's ride time—a remarkable convenience. The rental company owners, however, were furious at the idea of a machine determining their fares. They allegedly conspired to murder Hobson, getting him drunk before drowning him in the Seton River.
Whether the story was true or not, the price of renting a carriage was certainly steep. A light, two-wheeled carriage cost twenty Roshen for a single day.
After renting one, Zhou Ning headed toward the canal district. It had to be said that Darkland was truly vast. It hadn't seemed so in the game, but based on his experience over the past two weeks, the traversable area alone was immense. While some regions were sparsely populated with unpredictable weather, the sheer scale was impressive.
Zhou Ning sat in the carriage, looking out the window and examining the buildings on the roadside.
The buildings along the canal were mostly shops. After nearly two hours of touring the area, the carriage turned and headed toward the Seton River district.
Compared to the Canal District, which was more of a residential area, the Seton River district was the heart of Darkland. The famous Four Heroes Statue stood there, and Witsher Church Square, the site of the king's assassination, was also nearby.
It was nearing dusk when Zhou Ning caught sight of a dilapidated two-story building. The blue roof was typical of Braxton middle-class architecture, and a small, overgrown garden sat out front.
This has to be the place! Zhou Ning thought, his focus sharpening.
He quickly logged into the forum and pulled up the pinned video post for comparison. The location, layout, and style of the house were an exact match.
However, Zhou Ning didn't stop immediately. He let the coachman continue to the end of the road, until the building was out of sight, before finally calling for him to halt.
"Thank you. That will be all for today," Zhou Ning said with a smile.
A light rain had begun to fall. After watching the carriage depart, Zhou Ning rented an umbrella from a nearby shop and walked slowly back toward the target building.
Up close, the house was even more dilapidated than he had imagined. The garden hadn't been tended to in a long time. The house was utterly silent.
135 Rope Avenue, Zhou Ning committed the address to memory.
He found a hotel not far away, booked a room under a pseudonym, and began observing the house across the street from his window.
It wasn't until night fell that Zhou Ning slipped out of the hotel. He circled around to the shadowed side of the building and looked up at the second floor.
The front door was shut, and the second-floor windows were dark and closed. It looked deserted. He didn't linger, pulling back from the building without hesitation.
His first instinct was to report this to the Sun Watchers. What am I going to do, wait here until New Year's? But on second thought, he decided he had to see what was inside for himself. With Phoenix One and Damian's Ordinary Mirror, he should be able to get in and out safely.
Back in his locked hotel room, he opened his inventory, selected Phoenix One, and equipped it. In an instant, a golden-red battle suit materialized around him. After checking his gear, he took out the unknown artifact, [Damian's Ordinary Mirror], and chose to enter the mirror world.
Once inside, Zhou Ning walked along the long corridor. The reflection of 135 Rope Avenue wasn't far. Directions in the mirror world were reversed from the real world, but as long as he kept his bearings, it wouldn't be hard to find.
He walked forward along the corridor. Perhaps because he was in the city center, he passed countless mirrors hanging in the empty air. Through them, he could see fleeting glimpses of reality, like peering into the real world through a crack in spacetime.
After walking for a full five minutes, Zhou Ning finally reached his destination, where a single mirror hung quietly in the void.
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