Mechanical Alchemist

Su Lun had just dashed out of the basement and into the living room when he immediately felt an unfamiliar gaze upon him.

Before, Su Lun might not have noticed such a faint gaze. But now, having reaped Bill's perceptive abilities, he was certain the person spying on him was standing behind him at the bay window!

"Someone's entered the house!"

Su Lun's heart turned cold.

He was decisive to the extreme. Once he judged that someone was present, he reached out with one hand, fingers clawing, and instantly pulled out two rune puppets from his overcoat to shield himself. His other hand was already on the handle of the black box, ready to slash and create a spatial rift at any moment.

The intrusion confirmed his previous speculation.

This house was a trap!

The Hunter had come personally to check on his prey!

If it was the fugitive vice chancellor of the Black Tower Alchemy Academy he had suspected, Su Lun knew he had only one chance to act.

So, he didn't even draw his gun at first. The moment he saw anyone, he had to act before the other could react. Even if it meant betting on the possibility of a backlash that could kill him, he had to cut down the person spying in the shadows.

All these decisions were made in an instant; Su Lun felt his response was quick enough, but unexpectedly, the other person reacted even faster!

He was twisting his body, trying to pinpoint the intruder's position, his hand wielding the black box simultaneously slicing through the air. Just a glance at the person, and the outcome would be decided in a flash.

But suddenly, a bizarre scene unfolded.

Su Lun found himself unable to move!

It wasn't mental control, but rather as if the air around him had solidified, trapping him in an inescapable bind, "A high-level control spell?"

At that moment, the person behind him also let out a slight exclamation of surprise, "You actually made it out alive?"

...

"Top professionals, ah..."

Listening to the voice behind him, Su Lun murmured to himself.

But instantly, he relaxed.

The disparity in strength was so great that it couldn't possibly be compensated by mere fighting spirit.

Moreover, even though he had made a move to attack, he still didn't feel any "malice" from the person behind him.

The person clearly had no intention to kill, or at least not yet.

While speaking, the person also slowly walked to face Su Lun, making their stance clear, "Don't misunderstand, I bear you no ill will. I trapped you for your safety, to prevent any meaningless acts..."

Listening to this, Su Lun knew the other party had seen through his intentions, and pretending to be confused, he said, "Since you are a top professional, it surely isn't nice to intrude into my home uninvited."

The person in front of him was dressed in a black cloak that obscured their face, leaving their features a blurry outline.

He said in a tone that was both commendatory and not, "You are indeed very alert. If it were someone else, even another high professional, they might already be dead under your blade..."

Listening, Su Lun's eyes narrowed slightly but he made no comment.

He felt that the person had figured out what was in his box, which also made him uneasy.

Thinking that today, even if he didn't die, he probably couldn't save the scythe.

But the cloaked person seemed to have completely guessed his thoughts, and directly said, "In your hands is 'Xiupunos's Scythe of Night', right? Tsk tsk, I didn't expect it to end up with you. But don't worry, such a sealed item might be a treasure to others, but it's not very appealing to me.

There aren't many who could force me to use such a weapon, and at the point of desperation, it's of little use."

Upon hearing this, Su Lun's eyes flickered briefly but then dimmed.

But he also picked up on the hidden implication in the cloaked person's words: In all of Old Lington, there aren't many who could force me to use this scythe!

To be able to say such a thing, how strong must this person be?

Su Lun felt that watching this cloaked figure was somehow even more unfathomable than facing their Cross Society's leader, 'Arbiter' Chak.

And thinking again about someone who could be tracked by a major from the "Umbrella Organization" like Bill, definitely was no ordinary person.

But since they weren't here for wealth or to cause harm, END

What is this cloaked figure doing here?

Ah... that's right!

For that cursed space!

.....

Su Lun didn't say much; he was the passive party, just quietly listening, as the other party would eventually reveal their purpose.

However, to his surprise, the cloaked figure didn't state their intentions but instead casually asked, "Did you go to the dark market earlier to find a master craftsman to forge a set of special armor for you?"

Upon hearing this, Su Lun's gaze sharpened, "Your Excellency, are you tracking me?"

His first reaction was that he had been followed.

But while his mind raced, he couldn't figure out when he had slipped up or comprehend the purpose behind a high-ranking professional tracking him.

"No, you've misunderstood; it's just a guess."

The cloaked figure didn't leave him in suspense, speaking in a very casual tone, "I haven't been following you. I was just at 'Rosen's Alchemy Shop', where the owner told me someone wanted to order a set of 'Octo-Arachnid Spears' dark-gold armor. I figured there weren't many professionals who could use that set, most likely a Puppet Master..."

Pausing for a moment, he looked at the two strange puppets Su Lun was handling, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes, "Seeing how well you control your puppets, I just asked on a whim. I didn't expect it to be such a coincidence..."

Upon hearing this, Su Lun also revealed a look of realization, surprised, "Are you the 'Forging Master' mentioned by that shop owner?"

A first-tier professional, a Puppet Master that could use such complex armor, indeed there weren't many who met these conditions.

It was unexpected for them to meet in such a manner.

Upon reflection, Su Lun also felt there was no need for the man to lie.

"A Forging Master" was rare within the inner city; such a big shot appearing in the outer city's dark market was almost impossible. But if this person was the vice-principal who had fled from Black Tower Alchemy Academy, the logic aligned.

"Forging Master? I suppose..."

The cloaked figure's tone was relaxed, and at that moment, he had already lifted the spell that restricted Su Lun, asking, "Do you still need your armor forged?"

"Of course."

Without the constraints, Su Lun felt lightened, yet he did not make any sudden moves and even placed the black box he held on the ground.

The cloaked figure then said, "We can make a deal."

Su Lun: "I'd like to hear the details."

The visitor didn't show any hostility, and he also displayed enough courtesy.

The cloaked figure gave him a peculiar feeling, polite in every word and demeanor, radiating no ill intentions, and exuding the aura of a truly cultured nobility.

In Su Lun's view, such a flawless person either truly harbored good intentions or was extremely dangerous!

The cloaked figure said, "I can forge the armor for you free of charge, but in exchange, I want to know how you got out of that 'cursed space' in the basement. Of course, if the value of the information exceeds my payment, I will provide additional compensation to your satisfaction."

"Agreed!"

With an expected proposal, Su Lun readily agreed.

He didn't think the other party would deceive him just for the material. After all, even though the dark-gold spider legs were rare, they were merely first-tier materials and had limited appeal to higher-tier professionals.

Besides, the other party said it was a trade, and he was in no position to refuse anyway.

....

"However, before we trade, I have a question."

Thinking it over, Su Lun planned to gain some leverage, so he asked, "I would like to know why there is a 'cursed space' in this house. And, Your Excellency... why did you appear in my house?"

The cloaked figure wasn't surprised by Su Lun's question, casually asking in return, "Are you sure you want to hear?"

"???"

Upon hearing this, Su Lun looked puzzled.

I've already asked, do I not want to hear?

The cloaked man explained, "What I mean is... some things, once known, are troublesome. So, do you want to invite trouble upon yourself?"

Upon hearing this, Su Lun's brows furrowed, and after a moment's thought, he said, "Can I choose to hear only the non-troublesome parts of the information first?"

Trouble?

He was well aware that from the moment he discovered this cursed space, he had been entangled in trouble.

If he didn't clarify this issue, he would feel even more troubled.

He needed some essential information to decide on his future actions.

"Heh heh, interesting."

The cloaked man chuckled lightly, then began, "Eight years ago, a certain banker was developing this property and encountered the 'mysterious disappearance of personnel.' At that time, I was in charge of the team handling the incident. Later, after investigations, I discovered from ancient texts that this was the site of a hospital from the last era.

And then I also identified some of the cursed aspects of this space..."

At this point, he looked at Su Lun, "which is what you know about, how to get in."

Upon hearing this, Su Lun maintained his composure.

The cloaked man continued, "Later, in order to investigate, many who went in did not come out, and this space was classified as 'T-level' and permanently sealed off. Of course, there are some high-level classified plots involved, which I think you probably don't want to hear about."

"Mm."

Su Lun did not inquire about what the secrets were, but quietly listened as he continued.

"As for why I came here... it is because this is a trap I set, sensing someone had entered, so I came to see."

The cloaked man, without any hint of concealment and speaking frankly, said, "Something happened initially that made me aware this cursed space involved a big secret. Although I destroyed that top-secret document, and nearly all informed personnel have died during the explorations, there are still some indelible traces left.

Since someone was pursuing me, I used those remaining clues to lead the investigator to the basement of this apartment. Cut off the clues, and at the same time resolve the trouble."

After taking a breath, he then added, "Naturally, I did not do this to harm ordinary tenants, which is why I say, I harbor no ill will towards you. After all, as you know, the trigger method for this cursed space is quite special."

Saying so, he looked at Su Lun, curiously adding, "So, I'm also very curious, how did you get involved?"

Su Lun simply said, "I heard that several people had died in the house before, so I thought about it a bit more, and unwittingly got drawn in."

Indeed, this trap was not meant for ordinary tenants. If he hadn't overthought it, he probably wouldn't have encountered any issues.

"Heh, this isn't something that can be achieved by just thinking about it."

The cloaked man shook his head, with a hint of admiration in his tone, "Your thoughts are very meticulous. From the moment you came out and decisively left the apartment, I knew that discovering the cursed space was not a coincidence, but a capability. If you had a second-order, I might be interested in sharing some more intriguing secrets with you, but now..."

Su Lun felt that this man had revealed somewhat too much information, as if he wasn't afraid of his identity being guessed from these bits of information.

Su Lun was just puzzled as to why he would act this way.

At that moment, he heard the cloaked man, indifferent, saying, "Although I don't know how you found out, but it feels like you've already guessed my identity."

"..."

Listening to this, a sharp intensity briefly flitted across Su Lun's face.

At that moment, he finally understood the source of the uneasy feeling that had been troubling his mind.

Now he was certain, this person possessed the ability to "read minds," or something similar!

Su Lun tried to contain any emotional fluctuations, avoiding giving any reveals, and simply explained, "In the cursed space, I encountered the 'Blind Detective' Bill."

With that statement, there was naturally no need for him to elaborate further, as the cloaked man would imagine the rest by himself.

The cloaked man showed no surprise, appearing curious instead, "He's still not dead?"

Su Lun: "No, he has died. But his spirit hasn't dissipated."

The cloaked man, muttering to himself, said, "Indeed... just as recorded in the ancient texts."

Continuing, he looked at Su Lun and spoke, "Alright, I have told you what you wanted to know. You can tell me what you know now..."

Su Lun didn't beat around the bush. In the presence of someone so powerful and sage, playing mind games would only make him look like a jumping clown.

"After I entered, I discovered it was an ancient hospital, marked as the third floor. I encountered monsters...later, I discovered the 'horrific realization' rule of the space..."

He briefly narrated his experiences in the space, avoiding only the more sensitive content.

The cloaked figure also listened patiently and carefully.

When Su Lun mentioned the "Horrors Manifestation" rule, the figure uttered a light gasp, a mix of lament and commendation, "You actually discovered such a rule? My, my, this can no longer be described as merely meticulous thinking. Could your talent be [B-059-Thinker]? "

During his narration, Su Lun deliberately omitted the role of the All-knowing Eye, naturally making it somewhat unbelievable to the listener.

But he felt that telling lies would definitely be seen through by this fellow, so he simply avoided the issue, saying, "I'm just more cautious..."

"Heh heh."

The cloaked figure naturally didn't believe him, but he didn't care about such trivial matters.

After pondering for a moment, he took the initiative to ask, "Didn't you encounter a type of 'living dead' with blue skin?"

Su Lun knew that this guy was deliberately interrupting, just to remind him that he was not completely ignorant about this cursed space.

Su Lun responded calmly, "I did. That creature was very fast, and it easily killed Bill in the space. I had heard about methods to break out of such spaces before, and in a moment of emergency, I recited a name I had seen by chance, and then I escaped…"

"On which floor of the hospital did you encounter the creature?"

"The second floor."

"Which room?"

"The fifth on the left."

"What was the director's name?"

"Tillmido M. Chekhov."

"..."

After asking several questions, the cloaked figure fell into deep thought for a long time.

Although Su Lun couldn't see his expression, he could feel that the man was probably very satisfied with the information he had provided.

.....

It was the first time a living person had emerged from the "T-level" cursed space where no one had survived before, and the cloaked figure felt the reward was far beyond his expectations.

After a long contemplation, he finally spoke up, "I am very satisfied with your information. It even exceeds the value of the material I made for you. Therefore, as per our agreement, I can offer you some additional compensation."

After a pause, he asked Su Lun, "What do you need? Money, materials, alchemy knowledge, anything is possible."

Su Lun said, "I haven't thought of anything I need."

Now was not a good time to ask for rewards.

Besides, whatever compensation he could get, he felt shortchanged. After all, this was one of Old Lington's top professionals, a Forging Master, a Big Shot beyond the reach of outsiders.

If there was no hostility, merely knowing him was definitely a benefit no mere wealth could match.

The cloaked man didn't babble further, and briskly said, "Then I owe you a favor. Let me know when you need it. Hand over your materials; in five days, pick up your alchemy crafted gear at 'Rosen's Alchemy Shop.' If you decide what you want for the favor, you can also leave a message in the shop."

"Okay."

Conversations between smart people saved a lot of steps.

But Su Lun was also curious. Was this guy really only interested in asking a few questions, with no other motive?

And the process of the conversation was too casual—was he not afraid that the information he received was problematic?

Just then, as the cloaked figure was about to leave, he seemed to guess something.

Feeling that Su Lun knew his identity, he had nothing to hide and directly revealed his reason, saying, "My talent is [C-042-Mind Reader]. It might not be a strong combat talent, but it's very practical."

Hearing this, Su Lun suddenly understood why, during their conversation, it always felt like the other party had guessed his thoughts before he even spoke them.

So he really did know "Mind Reading".

However, Su Lun felt that the Mind Reader ability he knew wasn't so exaggerated—it was, after all, only a C-level talent.

He vaguely guessed that this might involve realms of high-level professionals that he was not familiar with...