Chapter 86: Escape Successfully
Simultaneously, information popped up on Zhou Ning's system panel.
[You have entered combat mode.]
[Based on your level, the following information is available.]
————
Name: ???
Total Level: 60
Occupation: Clan-Trained Knight
Attributes: Strength ??, Agility ??, Vitality ??, Willpower 75, Spirit ??, Charisma 78
Health: ???
Status: Healthy
[Remaining data unknown]
Skills: Clan Training: Will (Advanced), Mind Whip (Advanced), Demonization (Intermediate), [Other skills unknown]
————
The level gap was so vast that most of the knight's stats were obscured, but what Zhou Ning could see was enough to tell him that a direct fight was impossible.
He felt his vision swim. A level 60 Clan-Trained Knight? You have to be kidding me...
At that same moment, the black-robed man moved. He pointed his palm at Zhou Ning and indifferently uttered a single, ancient Faric word:
"Stagnate."
Suddenly, an immense weight settled over Zhou Ning, making even the slightest movement an ordeal.
A prompt appeared on his panel:
[You are being targeted by a judgment from ???. Your Willpower of 27 is too low to resist. Judgment failed. You fall into a stagnant state, and your movement speed is reduced by 75%.]
Then, a blue flame leaped from the man's fingertips, shooting toward Zhou Ning like a bullet.
Don't let that hit you, or you will die!
His Observation Haki screamed a warning. Just as the flame erupted, a grappling hook shot from Zhou Ning's right hand, latching onto a distant chandelier. As the cable retracted, the tension yanked him more than ten meters through the air. He clung to the fixture just as the blue flame struck the wall where he had been standing, which instantly burst into a raging fire.
Zhou Ning breathed a sigh of relief as the stagnant feeling vanished from his body. It seems this Clan Precept isn't as invincible as I imagined. The range must be less than twenty meters.
After retracting the grappling hook, Zhou Ning gripped the chandelier with his left hand and opened fire. Without hesitation, he emptied his clip at the black-robed man below. He unleashed four consecutive skills—Ripple Shot, Fatal Return Shot, Fatal Direct Shot, and Floating Shot—draining his concentration bar by more than half, yet he only managed to shave off 10% of the knight's health.
When the man's health dropped, Zhou Ning watched in shock as his body expanded rapidly, transforming into a monster two or three meters tall with a pair of huge goat horns sprouting from the sides of his head.
A strong smell of sulfur filled the air.
Almost in an instant, the demonized knight rushed toward Zhou Ning and muttered something under his breath. Zhou Ning felt his body sink again as if an invisible force were dragging him down. A moment later, the air filled with flying glass. The chandelier he was clinging to, unable to bear the sudden increase in weight, shattered beneath him.
The crushing gravity vanished. As Zhou Ning fell amidst the glittering fragments, he prepared to roll upon landing and use Evasive Fire to create distance. But while still in the air, he felt his body being pulled backward, as if an external force was tampering with his trajectory, even his inertia.
Zhou Ning took a sharp breath. This Clan Precept is the perfect counter to my agility.
At this critical moment, Zhou Ning fired his gun toward the ground to alter his fall. While still airborne, he shot his grappling hook again. This time, it snagged the windowsill ahead, and his momentum carried him flying toward it.
With a crash, he broke through the glass. After a barely perceptible pause, he landed on the lawn outside.
From the moment he saw the enemy's level, Zhou Ning had no intention of fighting to the death; his only goal had been to escape.
The black-robed man was already at the shattered window. He hurled another fireball, aiming for Zhou Ning's escape path.
Zhou Ning hit the ground and immediately rolled to avoid the attack. He came up in a half-kneel, aimed back at the windowsill, and pulled the trigger.
His momentary pause at the window had been just long enough to plant a charge.
A single bullet flew from the barrel. A spark, a chain reaction, and then... BOOM!
The heatwave from the blast slapped at the corners of his clothes.
Flames shot skyward as rubble and dirt filled the air. The entire section of wall around the window collapsed.
[Your homemade explosives caused 372 damage to ???!]
[Your homemade explosives caused 294 damage to ???!]
[??? is suffering from minor burns!]
[??? has entered a rage.]
Zhou Ning glanced at the panel and felt a cold dread. Even that powerful bomb had, at most, taken off another 20% of the knight's health. He still had no chance of winning. Seizing the opening, Zhou Ning nimbly vaulted over an iron railing and fled toward the street corner.
By now, the gunshots and the massive explosion had woken the entire street. Even the Extraordinary Patrolmen from across the road were alerted and were rushing toward the scene.
Back at the house, the gravel on the ruined windowsill trembled. The black-robed figure, now back in human form, stood there with a gloomy expression. Waves of magical power radiated from him, sending the loose rubble skittering away. He listened intently for a moment, then retreated back into the house. A moment later, the entire building was engulfed in flames.
After reaching a deserted street corner, Zhou Ning's battle suit quietly dissolved, reverting to his ordinary clothes.
He returned to his hotel just long enough to retrieve the mirror, then left immediately, not daring to stay any longer. He walked to another street, and only when he saw the ordinary people strolling along the road did he finally feel the tension leave him. He knew the danger was over.
I didn't expect tonight to be so intense. To think I encountered a level 60 Clan-Trained Knight by myself and escaped unscathed...
But as his mind cooled, a worrying thought surfaced. Ever since I got that strange, unknown object, I've been surprisingly impulsive. Is it a side effect of the artifact, or am I just getting arrogant?
Fortunately, despite the danger, the night's adventure had been rewarding. He had learned that the Curse Cult had a knight with a Clan Precept. As the backbone of the Kingdom of Bryston, only nineteen noble families possessed these unique abilities, and each family's was different. Identifying his attacker would be easy enough; it was just a matter of buying the right information.
With this in mind, Zhou Ning decided against going back to his room. Instead, he caught a bus to Donald Street in the Canal District.
After a walk of less than three minutes, Zhou Ning arrived at a bar called "Wine and Wolverine." In the game from his past life, this was one of the West family's businesses, an establishment that sold not only drinks but also intelligence. More importantly, it was the only intelligence dealer in Darkland that was open to players.
It wasn't even 8:00 p.m. yet. For the people of the Docklands, who lived and breathed the nightlife, the evening was just getting started, and the bar was already bustling. Zhou Ning could hear the clinking of glasses and a cacophony of chatter before he even stepped inside.
The moment he entered, he was hit by a wave of scorching heat. Zhou Ning adjusted his hat, squeezed through the crowd, and made his way to the bar.
"A glass of Ginham beer."
It was a famous brew from the Braxton Kingham area, a region known for its sunny climate and excellent hops.
"Five Winnie," the bartender said, skillfully sliding a large glass of beer toward him.
Zhou Ning took out a few coins, counted out five Winnies for the bartender, and took a sip. The taste was mellow and slightly sweet.
"Not bad," Zhou Ning praised sincerely, casually toying with the West family VIP card in his hand.
Chapter 87: Harrison
"I don't mean to interfere, but could you take off the ring next time you drink? Priests serving the Sun Goddess are forbidden from drinking to excess," Jasmine's voice, sounding a little dejected, came from within the ring.
"Sorry." Zhou Ning tilted his head back and downed the beer in one gulp. Wiping the corner of his mouth, he smiled. "Next time, for sure."
Jasmine went silent, not bothering to reply. Zhou Ning laughed and shook his head, putting down his glass. He slid the West family's VIP card across the bar toward the bartender. "I need some information," he said softly.
The bartender calmly picked up the card, examined it for a few seconds, then handed it back. He gestured toward a hidden door at the back right. "Go inside. Third room."
The door opened onto a descending staircase. At the bottom stood an iron gate, attended by a hulking guard who merely glanced at Zhou Ning, allowing him to push the gate open and enter.
Just like in the game, it was an underground boxing ring. After the game launched, it had become a popular spot for players to PK and earn money.
Since players couldn't truly die, their fights were brutal, bloody spectacles, which made for great entertainment. Death was a common sight, making the underground fighting circuit incredibly popular.
However, this popularity didn't last long. The organizers soon discovered that many players were throwing matches. They would be resurrected immediately after dying and would rush back to collect their share of the winnings. Consequently, most players were blacklisted.
As he entered the main area, a deafening din washed over him.
A match was underway. In the ring, a Northern boxer was fighting a werewolf warrior.
Zhou Ning narrowed his eyes. With his current strength, he could easily sense that both fighters were quite formidable. The werewolf had the advantage of being a supernatural creature and was likely around level 20.
"Kill that Northerner!"
"Ghost Wolf! You've got this!"
"Don't lose, Northerner! I've got seventy roshen on you!"
…
Outside the ring, the audience roared wildly, their blood boiling. Foul language filled the air, making the atmosphere far more intense than it had been in the game.
Zhou Ning felt like he had stepped into a modern nightclub. The clamor was so deafening it nearly made his heart skip a beat. He skirted the edge of the ring and silently counted to the third door. It was ajar. He reached out, knocked, and it swung open.
Inside was an office, the air slightly cooler than in the main room. Behind the desk sat a portly businessman wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He was completely bald, and a smile played on his lips, giving him a shrewd look.
Zhou Ning smiled and showed him the West family's VIP card. "I need to buy some information."
At this, the businessman stood, took the card, and glanced at it. His smile widened as he extended a hand. "My name is Gino Macaulay. Please, come in and sit down, Mr. Wayne."
Through his dealings with the West family, he knew a little about Zhou Ning and seemed to hold him in some awe.
Once the door was closed, the noise from outside subsided significantly.
After Zhou Ning sat down opposite him, Gino Macaulay poured him a beer and asked, "What information do you need?"
"I need a file on the Braxton Clan Knight families. The more detailed, the better." Zhou Ning took off the ring before taking another sip of his beer.
"Thirty-five Victa," Gino said, giving him a meaningful look. "And that's with a twenty percent discount. This information isn't easy to come by."
"Deal." Zhou Ning took four ten-Victa bills from his wallet and handed them over.
Gino took the money, counted it, and nodded. "Straight to business. Wait here a few minutes."
Gino quickly opened the door and went out.
A few moments later, he returned, holding a thick document bag and a five-Victa note. "Just so you know, it doesn't contain any information on the West family. All the others are in there."
Zhou Ning nodded, taking the money and the document bag. He opened it for a quick inspection; it did indeed contain detailed information on the Clan Knights. He put the bag away, looked up at Gino, and asked thoughtfully, "One more question. I was wondering if there are any gatherings for extraordinary individuals in Dockland? Or places that specialize in trading supernatural items?"
This was an idea Zhou Ning had been entertaining for a while. Such gatherings existed in his previous life's game, but they were generally closed to players. He had a few otherworldly items himself—firearms and Devil Fruits—that would likely be popular among the supernatural community. The Devil Fruits, in particular, could be sold in small quantities and might yield some unexpected results. Besides, he wanted to see if he could find anything useful for himself.
"A gathering of supernaturals? This one's on the house," Gino smiled. He stood to benefit from introducing the right sort of people to the trade fair, after all.
"You know the underground market in the old city? There's a gathering of Dockland's supernaturals there every Saturday at 8 p.m. Find the manager, Old Taylor, anytime after 7:30 and tell him I sent you."
"Thank you very much. I understand," Zhou Ning said with a slight smile.
Today was Thursday, which meant the gathering was the day after tomorrow. He found himself looking forward to it.
After saying his goodbyes and leaving the bar, Zhou Ning returned to the hotel room he had rented. He lit the gas lamp and eagerly opened the document bag to begin reading.
There were twenty-five pages of information on the Clan Knight families. The first family, and the one with the most pages, was named Morton.
The head of the family is Isaac Morton, the Speaker of the Senate for the Kingdom of Braxton. His title is Earl. The family motto is unknown, but it is believed to be related to courage.
It shouldn't be him...
Zhou Ning continued turning the pages.
The second was the Turner family, located on the northern border. Their motto is "Cold brings clarity, ice and snow bring determination." This family had made an appearance during the Elemental War, and their members possessed the ability to harness ice and snow.
Not him either.
It wasn't until he reached the final entry that Zhou Ning's eyes narrowed.
Rivers Family: The patriarch is Harrison Rivers. The family motto is currently unknown, but it is believed to be related to will.
It's him!
Zhou Ning remembered the name from the painting. On high alert, he began to read the man's file carefully.
Harrison Rivers holds the title of Viscount and maintains a close relationship with King Charles VII of Braxton. He is a member of the House of Lords and President of the Legislative Council of the Kingdom of Braxton. He is currently promoting the Poor Law Amendment Bill.
Based on the file alone, there was nothing amiss about Harrison Rivers. He was a confidant of the king, a member of the House of Lords, and a political rising star. No one would ever suspect he was a high-ranking member of the Curse Cult.
Zhou Ning sighed silently. If only there were other players around, they could do the dirty work. Next, he would have to focus on gathering intelligence on Harrison Rivers himself. He had a vague feeling that the Curse Cult and the Life Alchemy Society were working together to hatch a grand conspiracy.
After a moment's hesitation, he picked up a pen and wrote an anonymous letter denouncing Harrison Rivers. He left it unsigned, then walked two blocks to the Ascetic Church and dropped it into the denunciation box.
You're welcome. My name is Lei Feng.
Early Friday morning, Zhou Ning was up and out of bed.
Though he was reluctant, he had to face reality: it was time for school.
The University of Wake used a credit system. Students needed to complete 140 credits to graduate. These credits also functioned as a form of currency within the university, most commonly used to purchase access to advanced knowledge beyond the standard curriculum.
As a student with a gift for alchemy but a weak constitution, Zhou Ning's predecessor had unfortunately failed several physical training courses.
Chapter 88: Yu-Gi-Oh's Design
Despite his reluctance, Zhou Ning knew he'd have to show up for school occasionally in the new semester. At the very least, he couldn't afford to skip his three weekly alchemy classes and physical training sessions.
This feels like something out of a comic book. Isn't it always the students who end up saving the city?
He chuckled and shook his head, then opened his door and stepped into the adjacent bathroom to freshen up. Afterward, he took a black and white student uniform from the coat rack. The white shirt was crisp and the black jacket was well-tailored, giving him a handsome appearance.
When he was dressed and stepped out of his room, John was already awake. John's academic record was a different story from Zhou Ning's. While the body's original owner had only lagged behind in physical training, John had failed nearly every subject. His only passing grade came from an open-book religion exam. He was, in short, a complete academic failure.
At that moment, he was holding a thick stack of papers. "Good morning, Wayne," he greeted.
"Morning." Zhou Ning bent down and gave Polly, John's dog, a vigorous head-scratch. He glanced at the stack of papers with curiosity. "What's all this?"
"This is my genius plan. Care to take a look?" John said, proudly shaking the pages.
"Let's talk about it later." Zhou Ning opened his pocket watch. It was 7:43. He grabbed the umbrella he'd rented the previous night from the stand in the hallway, and the two headed downstairs.
The weather forecast stick had predicted rain all day, but as Zhou Ning left the dormitory, snow began to fall instead. The heavy snowfall quickly blanketed the campus in a layer of silver-white.
Already accustomed to such fickle weather, Zhou Ning glanced up at the sky, left his umbrella closed, and followed the flow of students toward the teaching building.
The Alchemy Department was one of Wake Forest University's largest, with over 260 senior students, enough to occupy its own building. When Zhou Ning arrived, he was taken aback by the sheer number of heads packed into the lecture hall.
The classroom was buzzing with activity. He spotted his friend, Fatty Fred, in the middle of a card game called Weather Cards, with the ante set at one Roshen. It was a popular game from the Apocalypse World, with rules similar to Texas Hold'em, but themed around various weather conditions. In a wild twist, the Joker and Jack represented a thunderstorm and a snowstorm, respectively.
"Wayne! John! Over here, there's a spot!" Fred's eyes lit up when he saw them, and he eagerly waved them over.
John quickly joined the game, but Zhou Ning had no interest in Weather Cards. He sat down and picked up a newspaper someone had left on the desk.
Baron Kimberly's exploration team makes progress in developing the Puyun Mesa...
Legislative Council of the Kingdom of Braxton considers repealing the Corn Act...
He was flipping through the Docklands Post when a particular article caught his eye. He read:
"...A series of murders has occurred in the Trade Zone. Seven innocent people, including Mickey Cumberland and Blake Mir, have been brutally murdered. The killer, Richard Pesa, owner of the Golden Oak Herbal Shop, is currently wanted. It is understood he has a history of assault. We are confident that justice will prevail and the murderer will be brought to justice."
Zhou Ning read the article again, word for word, before falling silent.
It seems Richard Pesa and his father didn't take my advice. They must have gone to the Sun Guardians for help instead. In all likelihood, the distortion has already happened.
What a pity. Richard was a good person, one of the few friends I've made in this world. Zhou Ning sighed, his mood suddenly darkening.
A moment later, Professor Weasley walked in carrying his lesson plan, and a hush fell over the classroom.
The morning lecture was Applied Alchemy. As the content was aimed almost exclusively at alchemists below the intermediate level, Zhou Ning, an expert himself, found the experience mind-numbingly tedious. He could even hear Jasmine yawn in his mind.
Out of sheer boredom, Zhou Ning picked up John's plan and began to read. After a few moments, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.
I have to admit, for a spendthrift, John has his moments. This is actually pretty good. The document outlined the design for a new board game.
It was designed for four players, each taking on the role of a meteorologist with 20 initial health points. Players would roll dice to advance across a gridded board, collecting spell materials, weather cards, and follower cards based on the spaces they landed on. When two players met on the same space, a battle would commence. The outcome was determined by a duel using their collected cards, and a player was eliminated once their health reached zero.
My god, isn't this a prototype for Magic: The Gathering? Zhou Ning looked at John with newfound respect. He nudged his friend's arm. "Did you come up with this?" he whispered in astonishment.
"How could I?" John shook his head, keeping his voice low. "I bought it. Paid good money for it, so it's mine now. Why? You think it's good, too?"
Of course. I should have known. A corner of Zhou Ning's mouth twitched as he fought to suppress a smile. After a moment's thought, he said, "It's a great idea, but why design it as a board game?"
"What else would it be?" John asked.
"You could make it a two-player card game," Zhou Ning suggested. "You'd start with a few basic cards, and get rarer ones by opening booster packs. Like this..."
A new idea suddenly struck him. He pulled out the card containing the sealed mini mechanical warrior and placed it on the desk. Grabbing a pen, he wrote ATK/700, DEF/600 in the lower-right corner.
"Look," he said. "ATK is attack, DEF is defense. Imagine we're both summoners. We summon monsters like this to battle for us. We each start with, say, 8000 Health Points. When your monster defeats mine, you deal damage to my Health Points. First one to hit zero loses."
Zhou Ning then briefly explained the core mechanics of the game known as Yu-Gi-Oh!, laying out a clear design direction.
As John listened, his initial confusion slowly morphed into understanding, and then into raw excitement. Leaning closer, he whispered, "I think we should do this... You just write down the rules for this card game. You don't have to do anything else, and I'll give you forty percent of the shares. What do you say?"
Zhou Ning was speechless.
My asking price was going to be fifteen, maybe twenty percent. All I'm offering is an idea; it's no skin off my back, no investment required. Writing down a set of rules won't take much time. And even if I can't remember all of them perfectly... I can just make up the rest, can't I?
And here's John, offering double that. Now I finally understand how he loses so much money in business...
"Deal," Zhou Ning agreed without hesitation. As long as John didn't mismanage things too badly, he was confident the venture would be profitable.
Once the card game is made, I can figure out a way to create a real dueling system, too.
Professor Weasley's class dragged on for two hours. The moment it ended, John was ready to haul Zhou Ning back to the dormitory to sign a contract. Just then, however, Professor Weasley approached them, a folder in his hand. "Stewell," he said. "Could you come to my office? We need to talk."
Zhou Ning shot John an apologetic look and followed the professor. Once in his office, Professor Weasley set down the materials he was carrying and looked at Zhou Ning. "Stewell, if I recall correctly, you're still twelve credits short of what you need to graduate?"
"Yes, sir," Zhou Ning nodded. Failing physical training last semester had indeed left him with only 128 credits.
Professor Weasley paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "Well, the thing is, the university is hosting an academic exchange event soon. The headmaster considers it extremely important. Would you be interested in participating?"
Chapter 89: Richard the Aberrant
"An academic exchange?" Zhou Ning asked curiously.
"Yes, with Yule University in the Byron Republic and Innek University in the Luins Kingdom," Professor Weasley said with a smile. "It might be a little early to tell you this, but due to political disputes, the Clear Road on the border is temporarily closed. It will likely take some time for the academic exchange team from Innek University to arrive."
Zhou Ning nodded in understanding. With the recent death of Charles VI, the conflict between Braxton and Ruiz had intensified to an unprecedented degree. It was no surprise that the delegation from Innek University would be delayed.
Professor Weasley paused before continuing, "This exchange focuses on the Warrior and Mage departments. As for our Alchemy department... with Innek University involved, the school's only requirement is that we don't embarrass ourselves. As long as the results aren't too terrible, everyone who participates will receive a reward of at least ten credits. What do you think? Interested?"
Ten credits!
Zhou Ning was instantly tempted. With those ten credits, he could coast his way to graduation without having to attend class every day. What more could he ask for while stuck in this prison of a school?
After a moment's thought, he asked tentatively, "What about my alchemy coursework?"
"The core courses can't be exempted," Professor Weasley said. "However, considering you're already a senior alchemist, you don't have to attend the regular lectures. You just need to be present for the final exam."
"Alright, I'm very interested, Professor Weasley." Only a fool wouldn't be. Zhou Ning agreed without hesitation.
"Very good," Weasley smiled. "I'll have someone notify you when the exchange begins. I also have a suggestion: spend more time on your alchemy during this period. A strong performance in this academic exchange could be a great help to your future career."
Zhou Ning nodded. He understood what the professor meant. Large-scale academic exchanges like this often attracted important figures. A good performance could easily lead to a promising job offer—a rare opportunity, especially for a graduating student like him.
I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint Professor Weasley, Zhou Ning thought. I'm not even thinking about finding a job right now.
After exchanging a few more words with Professor Weasley, Zhou Ning tipped his hat, said his goodbyes, and left.
Once he was outside the office, the snow miraculously turned to rain. The downpour quickly turned the snow-covered roads to mud.
Zhou Ning opened his umbrella and walked toward the dormitory, lost in thought.
There was less than a month until the players arrived, and he still had so many preparations to make.
First, he needed to make more money and find some extraordinary items and alchemical blueprints to increase his strength.
Second, he had to trigger high-reward quests to accumulate experience and level up in preparation for the beta test. Although he didn't know the exact basis for how quests were assigned to players, leveling up was always a good idea.
Third, he had to continue sabotaging the Curse Cult and, ideally, uncover their conspiracy.
The first point was straightforward. He currently had two stable income streams: firearms and Devil Fruits. And as long as John didn't screw him over, the Yu-Gi-Oh project would certainly provide a considerable income as well.
The second point was more problematic. Zhou Ning originally knew the triggers for many large-scale quests, which should have made things easy. But for some reason, since entering the game, the plot had become a chaotic mess, with all sorts of unexpected threats running rampant. As a result, he now had few reliable ways to gain experience. Aside from the occasional quest he stumbled upon, his only option was the slow grind of alchemy.
Therefore, for the foreseeable future, his focus would have to be on alchemy, where he could at least accumulate proficiency and experience.
Back in his dorm, John had already prepared the contract. Zhou Ning read through the clauses carefully from beginning to end. Finding no issues, and seeing that the profit share remained at forty percent, he readily signed.
Then, under John's eager gaze, Zhou Ning began the work of recalling and writing down the rules of Yu-Gi-Oh and the effects of its cards.
Perhaps it was due to his heightened mental faculties, but information he thought he'd forgotten came back to him. After a short while of piecing things together, he was able to recall most of the rules and card effects.
He finished the first draft of the Yu-Gi-Oh rulebook in less than three hours.
After careful consideration, Zhou Ning decided to stick with the initial rules from Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, planning to improve upon them later. This meant starting with 4000 LP, allowing the first player to draw a card, and so on. Looking at the familiar rules, even he couldn't help but sigh. "Right in the nostalgia."
As for the cards themselves, with over twenty thousand in existence, Zhou Ning knew he could only remember a fraction of them, mostly the monsters. After a long period of recollection, he managed to jot down the ones that had left the deepest impression: some minor spell and trap cards, the Harpie Lady series, Blue-Eyes White Dragon, the three Egyptian God Cards, Dark Magician, and Dark Magician Girl, among others. More could always be added later.
Of course, out of self-interest, he also added some powerful Machine-type cards, preparing to fleece future players.
Handing the documents to John, Zhou Ning smiled. "This is basically the first version. As for the card art, you'll have to find someone else to do it. I'm not much of an artist."
"Don't worry about it." John picked up the draft and began to read it attentively.
After nearly forty minutes, John reluctantly looked up from the pages, his eyes landing on Zhou Ning. He gave him a thumbs-up.
"Excellent. I have a strong feeling that this time, I'm going to succeed."
"I hope so," Zhou Ning said, shaking his head with a chuckle. To be honest, John's entrepreneurial track record was disastrous. Zhou Ning figured that even John's own father had little confidence in him.
"I'm heading home now." With Zhou Ning's manuscript in hand, John left the apartment without a moment's delay.
Zhou Ning guessed he was going to ask his father for money. Thank God I don't have a son like that, he thought.
Zhou Ning didn't wait for him to return. After grabbing some dinner, he rested for less than an hour before hurrying to the alchemy laboratory, not daring to waste any time.
After two days of relative quiet, the pressure of a deadline was back. He had to deliver at least two Devil Fruits to the Sun Guardians tomorrow. In addition, he needed to make one more to test out at the gathering for extraordinary individuals at eight o'clock tomorrow night. It was a heavy workload.
As Zhou Ning arrived at the entrance to Wake University, he happened to see Sherlock passing by with a few of his men. After a brief greeting, Sherlock approached him and asked in a low voice, "Wayne, have you seen Richard Pesa in the last couple of days?"
"No," Zhou Ning said, shaking his head. "What happened?"
Sherlock took a deep breath and replied grimly, "He's been corrupted by an evil god and has become... aberrant. He's killed nine ordinary people so far. Half an hour ago, we got a report that he was seen nearby. We have to eliminate him before he harms anyone else."
So it was true, Zhou Ning thought. He took a deep breath to suppress his complicated feelings and asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Sherlock seemed slightly startled by the offer. "If you run into him, notify us. Or kill him."
"Alright," Zhou Ning answered without hesitation.
Chapter 90: New Temporary Template
As one of Richard's few friends in this world, if I can't save him from this awful fate, the least I can do is end his suffering.
Sherlock was a keen observer. Although Zhou Ning usually came across as unfathomable, he generally had a calm demeanor. But just now, his temperament had suddenly shifted. It was the same feeling Sherlock had gotten when Zhou Ning dragged Elvis out of the bar that day. He suddenly seemed… very dangerous.
"If anything happens, notify us," Sherlock said.
Zhou Ning nodded expressionlessly as a prompt materialized before him:
[You have triggered the E-level mission [The Aberrant]. Accept/Reject?]
"Accept."
[Quest Objective: Your friend Richard has been transformed into a monster. Kill him and end his suffering.]
[Mission Reward: 10,000 Experience Points, Sun Watcher Reputation, 1 Temporary Template Card.]
After accepting the mission, Zhou Ning took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and continued toward the alchemy laboratory just ahead.
He hadn't told Sherlock the whole truth. Using his Observation Haki, he had already pinpointed Richard's location.
It was a twisted, corrupt scent—unmistakable and entirely inhuman.
With a steady hand, he inserted the key into the lock and gently turned it. The door swung open.
In a corner of the alchemy laboratory, a familiar figure was huddled, facing the wall.
The figure trembled and spoke in a hoarse voice. "Wayne? Is that you?"
"It's me," Zhou Ning answered, his voice low.
"I'm Richard… I feel so sick…" Richard turned around, revealing a swollen head and bluish-gray skin that emanated a stench of decay.
"You're the only one who can help me," Richard rasped. "By the Goddess of Nature, I didn't mean to hurt anyone! They all think I'm a monster… but I can't control it. I really can't. There's a voice in my head… it keeps whispering about madness, just madness…"
"What do you want me to do?" Zhou Ning interrupted, his tone calm.
"Help me get to the Ascetic Church! I'll convert to the Sun Goddess—I'll do anything if they can just help me!" Richard tried to pull his lips into a smile, but it was a grotesque grimace.
The moment he opened his mouth, Zhou Ning saw bits of blood and flesh clinging to his teeth. His own expression hardened.
"No," he said flatly. "It's too late."
"It's not too late! Please. We're friends, aren't we? You saved my life, and I helped you. This alchemy lab is still mine, and I only charged you a third of the usual price! I'm getting married soon, you know? I was going to ask you to be my best man."
Richard's tearful plea faltered, his emotions suddenly turning volatile. "I get it. You were never going to help me, were you? You sent me to the Day Guard knowing it was a death sentence! Don't think I don't know. Remember Luke Shaw? You rescued him with me. He went to the Day Guard and never came back!"
Fueled by excitement or despair, Richard's body suddenly swelled as a faint black-and-green smoke seeped from his skin. He lunged at Zhou Ning, his pounce so fast it made the air whistle.
Zhou Ning let out a slow breath. Narrowing his eyes, he took a sharp step back, raised his right hand, and squeezed the revolver's trigger.
A bullet wreathed in fiery energy spun from the barrel and slammed into Richard's chest. The explosive, rippling force tore a roar of pain from his throat as a plume of black smoke erupted from the wound.
Richard's health bar dropped visibly, but his body was now driven purely by bloodlust. He staggered for a moment before lunging at Zhou Ning again.
Expressionless, Zhou Ning aimed for Richard's head and fired six times in quick succession.
Just then, Sherlock and a squad of guards, drawn by the gunshots, burst in to see the final moments.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The bullets, some cloaked in golden ripples and others in a pitch-black aura, struck Richard's head one after another, driving him back with each impact.
Bang!
As Richard's health bar vanished, the final rippling shot pierced his forehead. A smoking, black-rimmed hole appeared, and his body slumped to the floor.
Zhou Ning gazed at Richard's body in silence for a moment. He holstered his pistol, then removed his hat with his right hand, held it to his chest, and gave a slight bow.
"Looks like I'll have to ask you to handle the cleanup," Zhou Ning said to Sherlock. He managed a smile, but his heart felt heavy.
He knew Richard had been right. The Sun Watchers had no cure for this corruption; their only solution was physical annihilation. From the very beginning, death had likely been Richard's only way out. Such was the tragedy of this world.
A series of prompts appeared on his panel:
[You have killed the Aberrant Richard Pesa (LV 18). You gained 7,200 experience points.]
[Your reputation with the Sun Guardians has increased by 1,200.]
[Sun Guardians: Respected (100/5,000)]
[The Sun Watcher camp store is now available.]
[E-level mission [The Aberrant] completed. You have gained 10,000 experience points and received Temporary Template Card x1 (Basic). Would you like to draw it now? Yes/No]
Zhou Ning chose 'No' for now. He put his hat back on and glanced back at Richard's body. Several members of the Day Guard were already busy hoisting the massive corpse onto a stretcher.
I'll have to find a new place when the lease is up, Zhou Ning thought.
…
Having stayed up late making a devil fruit, Zhou Ning slept until noon the next day. He was disoriented for a moment after waking, until the memories of yesterday came flooding back.
He couldn't help but sigh.
The incident left him with a vague sense of disappointment toward the Sun Guardians. They had concealed, and perhaps even lied about, the only way to resolve the corruption. He recalled Qi'en West telling him to come immediately if he started hearing voices.
Thinking back on it now, if I had gone, would I have ever returned? Would I have been 'physically eliminated,' just like Luke Shaw?
While he could understand the cold logic from the leadership's perspective, it was impossible not to feel disappointed when faced with the reality of it.
Sometimes, it's better not to know. Zhou Ning shook his head, pulled up his panel, and chose to claim last night's reward.
[You have used a Temporary Template Card. You received a random template: Peerless Hero Zhou Ning.]
The card then became three-dimensional, displaying the image of the hero himself: Peerless Hero Zhou Ning. He wore a turban, had a burly figure, bright eyes, and an awe-inspiring presence that commanded respect without a trace of anger.
[Character: Peerless Hero Zhou Ning]
[Personality: Decisive, Resolute, Loyal, Heroic.]
[Talents: Natural Leader (Purple), Martial Arts Genius (Purple), Extraordinary Strength (Blue)]
[Skills: Basic Fist and Palm (Master Level), Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms (Expert Level), Basic Internal Strength (Expert Level).]
Zhou Ning: ...
Don't they think I've never seen Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils? This is just Qiao Feng, isn't it? It has to be.
The real question is, what good is a wuxia template in a world where planets can be destroyed at any moment?
After a few seconds of silence, Zhou Ning stored the card away. Whatever. Every skill has its use, I guess.
After washing and dressing, he waited. According to their agreement, Qi'en West would be sending someone to conduct their transaction. Zhou Ning had no intention of backing out of the deal until he could find a better sales channel. If nothing else, they paid promptly.
---
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